


Iron Born Angels

by StarvingArtistProduction, xxkittensarmedwithmachinegunsxx (StarvingArtistProduction)



Series: Iron Born Angels [1]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, fmab
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2020-01-23 01:38:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18539662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarvingArtistProduction/pseuds/StarvingArtistProduction, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarvingArtistProduction/pseuds/xxkittensarmedwithmachinegunsxx
Summary: Two years after the Promised Day, the Elric brother’s story continues. Life is peaceful until war is declared on the country of Amestris. Ed and Al are pulled back into war and must juggle life, love and duty to their country, along with the emotional scars they still wear from their childhoods.





	1. Curious Things

**Author's Note:**

> This fic doesn’t follow the brother’s parting ways at the end of the show. I haven’t read the manga so there may be some details that I miss. 
> 
> POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING!!!! This fic does deal with body issues, thoughts of self harm and graphic depictions of such actions, though not right away. Additional trigger warnings will also be posted before chapters containing them.
> 
> This is my very first fic, and I am very excited to share it with everyone!! Enjoy!

'It's in your head, you're fine. It's over and nothing is wrong with you.'

No matter how many times he chanted the words to himself, Edward couldn't make himself believe them. It felt like there was a broken record in his head that he couldn't turn off, and he began to be frustrated with himself to the point he feared those around him might take notice.

It had been two years since he'd had his right arm returned to him in the heat of a battle that still plagued his nightmares, it's reappearance thanks to his brothers selflessness. At first, the only issues with it were the obvious things one would expect: severe weakness of the limb from shoulder to fingertips, muscle atrophy due to neglect, and brittle bones stemming from the same. His aversion to milk no doubt had something to do with that on some level, as Win and Pinako often liked to remind him, but he brushed it off as something silly they only said to tease him.

After the initial fight, which my all accounts should not have been possible without some level of damage, Ed's arm was weak to the point that he couldn't even close his fist. His fingers simply refused to obey him as he glared at them, clasped limply around a small, squishy ball used in physical therapy to slowly build muscle back up. Having never been a very patient person to begin with likely only worked to further hinder his progress.

Ed was still unable to write with what was originally his dominant hand, though that didn't bother him much. He preferred being left handed for a reason he couldn't quite pinpoint. Even as he built the muscles back up so that he finally looked properly proportioned, he couldn't help but begin to notice small things about it that irked him. His pinky finger had been fractured in the fight against Father, and was now permanently canted outward from the second knuckle, and therefore couldn't be flexed at all. The fingernails now had a permanent greyish tinge to them, making them look like they were dying at the root. Pinako instsed that it was likely due to the malnutrition but he severely doubted this.

The pain in his shoulder was gradual, starting off as something deep and dull in the muscle. He brushed it off as part of the physical therapy. He'd been without his arm for nearly eight years, it only made sense that the muscles would have a hard time adapting. But something about the ache didn't seem right to him; it felt foreign and wrong as if there was something being forced to fit where it didn't go.

This had been two months passed, and now Ed lay face up in bed, head tilted to glower at his arm. It wasn't quite at the same level as his left as far as strength, and likely never would be, but something about the tone of the pale skin made him feel as though he were looking at something venomous, as if he needed to flinch back from it. The scar where it had been ripped from his body stood out in a thick rope that wrapped across his pectoral muscle, down under his armpit on the ribs and back up over his shoulder in a crooked circle. Absent-mindedly, he traced it with the fingers of his good hand, feeling the warps of scar tissue under the pink skin, imagining that this must be what a valley on the earth felt like, if one was large enough to caress the land in such a way. It seemed like another lifetime when the edge of the scar met metal, seamlessly and beautifully, the edge of the steel warm from a combination of his own body heat and the mechanics within. Ed heaved what was a surprisingly nostalgic sigh, and made to sit up to start his day, but something curious under his finger stopped him.

Frowning, Ed did sit up, and probed at his shoulder again, feeling a shock of pain he hadn't anticipated, making him hiss between his teeth. Ignoring the pain, he slid his fingers along what had to be his clavicle, starting near the hollow of his throat, and slowly edging outward. The bone was uncharacteristically tender, but that wasn't what had drawn his attention. Halfway down the length of the bone, it stopped. That couldn't be right... Ed carefully felt the edge of the bone and felt a stinging from inside, as if a sharp edge was trying to push through the skin.

His clavicle was.. Gone. Not completely, but a good portion of the bone simply wasn't there. He felt the cap of his shoulder where it aught to have connected, and found nothing there as well. Curious, Edward probed around the back of his shoulder, testing to see if anything else was missing, and was shocked when his fingers pressed onto something hard and sharp, and he yelled in pain. What had that been? He kicked the covers from around his legs, and stumbled over to the vanity mirror to look. Under his fingers, bruised purple, was a misshapen... Lump. It felt hard as a rock. Momentarily, a bolt of panic shot through him. Was it a tumor? No... No it couldn't be, it felt... Almost flat. He half ran to his door, yanked it open, and proceeded to bang on the one directly across from his. 

"Winry, come here and look at something for me." No answer; he opened the door slowly so as not to surprise her, and saw her bed was empty, and he could hear the water from the shower running. The door to the attached bathroom was closed but not latched, so he stepped into her room and shut the door behind him.

"Win! Hey, Winry!" he yelled, hoping that she could hear him over the shower; when the water halted, he knew that she had heard him, and was likely annoyed that he'd cut her shower short. While he waited for her to emerge from the washroom, Ed poked the spot again and found the same pain as before, this time coupled with the need to see what it was, and he went to her full length mirror that was leaned against the wall next to her closet door. 

"Okay, jeez! Patience is a virtue, you know," Winry said as she entered the bedroom, curls of steam following in her wake. She was wrapped in a fluffy cotton towel that was a soft sky blue, covering her body from chest to her knees. Ed paused for a scant moment to admire his Fiancée, loving how the color made her eyes look almost cobalt by comparison. The towel had been part of a set that Mrs. Hues had given them as an engagement gift, consisting of two obnoxiously large bath sheets, two towels, and four wash rags. He loved the woman in front of him, but the issue with his shoulder yanked him from his admiration quickly.

"Yeah, one you know I don't have," Ed said, beckoning her to his side and turning so she could see. "Feel that."

Winry pressed her fingers over the hard spot Ed was indicating, her brow furrowing. 

"What is that?" Ed pressed, studying Win's face as she ran her fingers around the perimeter of the spot. Ed bit the inside of his cheek to keep from showing pain, not wanting her to feel guilty for pressing too hard. Winry squinted at the small mass for a second or two longer before glancing up to meet Ed’s eyes. 

“I don’t know, Ed,” she said thoughtfully. “But the doctors at the hospital have all said that you’re healing just fine.” 

“The same doctors who didn’t notice that half of my collarbone is missing?” Ed asked dubiously. When Winry frowned, Ed took her hand and pressed her fingers to the bone, and gently pulled them along until the edge of it, and her eyes widened. “If they missed something like that, what else could they have missed?” 

“I... I don’t know, Ed,” Winry said, still poking at the hollow space where the rest of his clavicle should have rested. She knew that it wasn’t a vital bone to have, sometimes people were born without them entirely and could still function just fine. True, it was odd that only half of it was gone, but she couldn’t recall if it had been there in it’s entirety after the initial accident. “Maybe Granny will have some insight; she is the one who did your initial evaluation after you lost your arm. Do you remember if it was like this before?” 

“Winry, my entire shoulder was made of metal for almost eight years,” Ed said, running a hand through his sleep rumpled hair. “I didn’t really have much time, let alone cause to wonder if all of the bones were there.”

Winry stepped up to Ed, tilting her head up to look into his eyes, marveling at their impossible shade of gold for what had to be the millionth time in her life. She saw the customary frustration held there, but there was something new in their depths that she couldn’t quite define, and it began to make her nervous. 

In two days time, she and Ed were going to be married. People had started to trickle into town as the time drew near, Riza and Roy had been first, quickly followed by Major Armstrong, who was almost unruly in his desire to help with attending to final details. Shortly after, Mrs. Hues and Elysia had arrived, the latter of the two nearly bursting with excitement upon seeing the woman she considered to be an older sister. Winry had been so swept by all that was happening that she hadn’t stopped to ask Ed how he was doing. He had never been the type to be open about what was going on in his head, but Winry had grown to hope that she was the exception to that rule. 

“Edward,” she said softly. “Are... You’re not, you know... Getting cold feet, are you?” 

Edward looked as if she had doused him in ice water, gold eyes widening as he gripped her hands a little bit too tight. 

“Of course not,” he said urgently, giving her hands a slight shake for emphasis. “Win, this has nothing to do with the wedding. I’m just... I don’t know how to explain it to you. I haven’t felt right about my arm since I got it back... I don’t know, maybe it’s crazy.” 

“What’s not right about it?” She asked, brushing her fingers over it tenderly. “It looks like it’s healing just fine. You’ve come a long way, the muscles are back to a functional level.” 

“It’s not that,” Ed said, shaking his head. “I know everything is relatively okay on a physical level, but... Something still doesn’t mesh well.” 

Ed offered her a weak smile, trying his best to shove the feelings into the back of his mind. There was a lot to be done still, for the wedding; Mai, Ling and Lan Fan were coming in from Xiong on the afternoon train, final fittings for all in the wedding party needed to be done, flowers brought in. It all seemed both overwhelming yet simple at the same time, so he chose to focus on that instead. Winry made a face and looked as if she was about to say something, but Ed placed a soft kiss on her lips to calm her. 

Feather light, his lips brushed hers just enough to bring a blush to her cheeks. They had never truly kissed, not yet. It was something of an unspoken thing between them that their first true kiss would not be had until the day they wed, though sometimes Ed found himself wanting to wrap his arms around her, pull her tightly into him and kiss her so deeply that they both lost themselves in one another. But such things would wait, because he wanted to do this the right way, wanted to love her the right way. 

“Sorry I cut your shower short; I have to get ready myself,” Ed said softly, his voice husky with desire that he pushed back. “I told Al I’d go to the train station with him to gather Mai.” 

“Al could do that on his own,” Winry said, fixing him with a knowing smirk. “He just wants you to distract Ling and Lan Fan so he and Mai can slip away for a while, have some ALONE time.” 

“I really don’t want to think about that part,” Ed said, grimacing. “He’s my little brother, I don’t need that mental image.”

“I’m just saying,” Winry continued to tease. “Beautiful young princess, handsome young man, both in love and haven’t seen each other in MONTHS!”

“Ah! La la la, NO!” Ed said, dramatically clapping his hands over his ears as he left the room, pausing just long enough to see Win doubled over in laughter.


	2. The Arms of Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed and Al visit the train station to pick up the visitors from Xing before heading to lunch after a warm welcome. Mai and Al want to break away for alone time in the following chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used this chapter to help show the bond between the Elric brothers and their friends from Xing, as well as set up the next chapter, which gets very sexy! 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> A shoutout and big thanks to AllTheOtherUsernamesWereTaken for my first review! Means a lot!

Al felt fidgety; he wasn’t sure why, though, because he wasn’t nervous. He missed Mai more than he could express, and was chomping at the bit to hold her in his arms again... Among other things. He supposed this was what forced him to pace uncharacteristically as the minutes dragged by at a snails pace. It seemed that each time he checked his watch, the minute hand had actually moved backwards. 

“What’s got you so antsy, Alphonse?” Maj. Armstrong asked, fixing the younger alchemist with a curious and kind smile. He had never known the young man to be wound up about anything; that was Edward’s job. 

“I’m just excited is all,” Al said, smiling in return. “We haven’t seen Mai, Ling or Lan Fan in a year or so, and it’s always exciting when we get to see friends again.” 

Edward gave Al a knowing eye, and he couldn’t help but smirk. He knew how Ed felt about the idea of his younger brother having sex: it was perfectly normal and okay, but he didn’t need the mental image, as he had so eloquently put it. 

“Ling will probably be starving, as he always is,” Al said, laughing genuinely. “We’ll need to keep him away from granny’s place at first or he’ll eat the entire kitchen in one go!” 

“I’ve already warned Rich down at the cafe about the Xinese locusts that are about to come through,” Ed said, tilting his left wrist to check his watch. “He says he’s prepared, but I don’t think he truly grasps the fact that it’s not a metaphor.”

Before Al could answer, the sound of a train whistle cut through the summer air, and he turned to see it barreling towards the small Resembool station, trailing a thick, smokey tail behind it. His heart leapt in his chest, as it always did when his love was so near. 

The breaks on the train screeched painfully as the gigantic vehicle slowed to a stop, releasing a loud ‘Krsht!’ Noise as the breaks engaged. Al broke into a light jog up the length of the platform, scanning the windows for Mai. At the second to last set of doors, his eyes met hers just as the doors swung open with a hiss of the hydraulics. Mai stood there, dressed in a light, floor length gown of soft rose pink with sky blue trim, her clans official colors. Her jet black hair was down from it’s childhood buns and braids, pulled into a half up, half down do that let her hair cascade in a waterfall to her buttocks. A baby pink rose was pinned behind her left ear, and on her right shoulder, was Shao May, clinging to the soft silk with ease. 

In a split second, Mai rushed off of the train and into Al’s open arms with a great peal of laughter, her high voice now tempered with woman hood, but not lacking any of the joy it had always had. Al spun her around as if she weighed nothing, laughing and smiling into her hair as it blew into his face. He had the feeling of coming home wash over him in the moment, feeling the weight of Mai in his arms, the smell of her hair surrounding him. 

“Alphonse!” Mai cheered, tilting her head to look up at him as he set her feet back to earth. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much!” 

“And I you,” Al said, then he leaned down to kiss her. Her mouth yielded to his easily, her lips parting slightly, allowing him to taste her sweetness. A rush of longing ran through the both of them, heat pooling in the low of their stomachs. 

“I hope that isn’t how you greet all royalty,” Ling said as they broke the kiss. Al smiled at the young emperor and ran towards him with out stretched arms. 

“But of course! Come, your highness!” He joked as he chased Ling in a wide circle, both cackling as they dodged one another. Lan Fan shook her head in feigned exasperation before turning to greet Ed and Maj. Armstrong. 

“Ed,” she said happily, stepping into a tight hug, noting that he had gotten very tall since the last time they had visited. “How have you been?” 

“As good as I can be,” Ed said, smiling down at the warrior. “How about you? Is your automale holding up good?” 

“It is! It doesn’t even register that it’s not my real arm anymore,” Lan Fan said, offering her left arm to Ed for inspection. She noted a brief flash Of what she though might be jealousy flash across his face, but it was gone as quickly as it had come, and he smiled genuinely at her. 

“I like the detailing you added,” Ed said, indicating a pattern that had been airbrushed onto the upper arm portion of the metal limb like a tattoo. It was a mask laying on a bed of roses with two kunai crossed underneath it, and ornate script that he couldn’t read, no doubt written in Xinese. He didn’t have to be able to read it to know what it was, though; it was a tribute to her grandfather, Foo, who had passed during the climactic battle in central, a day the locals had come to call ‘The Promised Day War.’ 

“Thank you,” Lan Fan said, a touch of sadness touching her eyes before she looked down at it herself. “It isn’t finished yet; I plan to add tributes to all who fought with us. Briggs, Ishval, even you brothers and Greed.”

“Sounds like a hell of a project,” Ed said, trying not to allow his inner feelings of unworthy ness creep into his tone. He didn’t feel like a hero, he never had. His reasons for fighting lay too heavily in selfish territory, and so he refused to take credit as much as possible. His mind flashed briefly to the glass case on display in Granny’s front room which held three metals and the matching certificates that he had been given upon leaving the military. He hated them, but chose not to push the issue. 

“It is, but it’s nothing like sitting for a real tattoo,” she said. “It’s Mai’s handy work, actually. Turns out she’s one hell of an artist.”

“Oh stop, you’re exaggerating,” Mai said as she entered the conversation. She paused to stand on her toes to hug Ed tightly, a gesture he returned with genuine affection. She kissed his cheek before releasing him, noting that he smelled just as he always had: like hot metal and bourbon, a contrasting combination, but a pleasant one nonetheless. “It’s so good to see you, Edward. How have you been?” 

“Oh, you know,” Ed said, running his hand through his bangs. “The usual; planning a wedding, learning how to do construction work without busting my thumbs with a hammer.”

“Al mentioned that you smashed your thumb pretty badly in one of his letters,” Mai said, suppressing a giggle. “He said you could make the devil blush with all of the curse words you came up with.” 

Ed held up his right thumb to show her; the first knuckle looked a bit more flat than it aught to have, but otherwise it wasn’t obvious that it had been broken at all, not like his pinky finger on the same hand. 

“Not so easy without your alchemy, is it?” Mai teased, taking his hand gently to get a better look. Her fingers were cool to the touch, and gentle as the caress of a feather as she turned his hand over to prod at the pad of his thumb. “I could probably set it, if you’d like, but I can’t guarantee that it wouldn’t need to be rebroken.”

“Stil harboring some animosity, are we?” Ed asked lightly as he took his hand back from the princess. Mai flashed a devious smile at him. 

“If I do, I think a fair sparing match would be sufficient payback,” she quipped, making Ed grin. Mai was one hell of a fighter, everyone knew it, but he felt like he could at least give her a run for her money if it came down to it. 

“You just say when, and I’ll give you a proper ass whooping,” he said, pulling her into a side hug that was more of a headlock than a friendly embrace. Mai poked a pressure point on his ribs to get him to let go, and he yelped in what seemed to be genuine pain. He blinked at her, golden eyes wide as he rubbed the spot, which happened to be where his scar met unblemished flesh. “I didn’t catch you that hard... You have a lot of pent up energy there, Edward.” 

Before Ed could answer, Ling barreled into him, emitting a mocking battle cry, and the two of them slid easily into a mock scuffle that ended with Ling somehow perched on top of Ed’s shoulders, legs hooked under his arms and holding his bangs as if they were reigns on a bridle. 

“Alas, the wild Elric can be tamed!” Ling shouted, tugging on Ed’s hair in a good natured way. Everyone broke into a chorus of laughter at the sight of the two friends. Ed and Ling’s friendship had grown very strong, despite the distance, and they became as close as brothers, Lan Fan thought. Ling had many brothers, she knew, but none of them cared much for one another, let alone him since he’d become emperor of Xing. Having Ed to fill that role was the best thing for him at his age, someone to rough house with and just be a young man around with no rank or title to get in the way. 

“You just keep thinking that,” Ed said before he flipped Ling from his perch and onto the ground with a small thump, leaving Ling smirking up at him. Ling had let himself be flipped, and Ed knew it, but it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, and likely never would. Ed reached out with his left hand and hauled Ling to his feet, the two of them laughing as they embraced in a tight hug. “Good to see you.”

“Likewise!” Ling said cheerfully, and they all began moving towards the exit, Ed and Ling in the lead, followed by Lan Fan, Mai and Al holding hands, and Maj. Armstrong bringing up the rear in an almost protective manner. It was a casual gathering, but there was still royalty present, and Lan Fan suspected that Maj. Armstrong was taking that into account, even if it was an unconscious action. The giant man was shouldering all of their luggage by himself without breaking a sweat, offering her a smile when she glanced back at him to see if he needed any help. 

“So this is your home town!” Ling said, looking around at the small yet bustling town with its dirt roads and quaint shops. “It’s... Well, it’s amazing, truly. How such a small town can produce such strong warriors, it’s like something out of a criminally overlooked novel.” 

“It’s no Xing or central,” Ed said, a note of quiet pride in his voice. “But it’s home; believe it or not it’s grown a bit since Al and I were children. A good chunk of people have moved out this way since the end of the war, all looking for a more quiet life, I guess, though some say that it’s because Al and I were born here.”

“Everyone wants to see the land that the Elric’s hail from!” Ling cheered, thrusting his fists into the air in a comical gesture, pulling laughs from all in the group. Ed shook his head at the ridiculousness of the statement, though he supposed it was true in some way. 

“If you’re done being a complete dumbass, we have lunch reservations in twenty minutes,” Ed said. “We can walk from here, or we can drive, take your pick.”

“We’ve been on a train all day,” Lan Fan said. “I personally would rather walk, if it’s all the same to you.”

“Agreed,” Mai said, squeezing Al’s hand. Al didn’t have to look at her to know that she was signaling him; she wanted alone time sooner rather than later, and he had no objection. It had been several years since they last saw one another, and the yearning for her was becoming almost too much to handle. 

“I can take the luggage back to the house so we don’t have to drag it around with us all day,” Al offered, looking at Maj. Armstrong, who was doing his best impersonation of a pack mule. “We can meet up with you right after.” 

Ed resisted the urge to smirk knowingly at his brother; he wasn’t fooled for one second, though he tried his best not to think too hard on why Al wanted to break away for a short while. Al made brief, unwavering eye contact with his brother, almost daring him to say something, but Ed looked away before Al could finish passing his subliminal message to him. 

“I’ll help!” Mai chimed in, moving to take her bags from Maj. Armstrong, along with the set of keys that were clasped weakly in his hand via a thin metal ring looped around his pinky. The enormous man gazed down at her with his striking blue eyes, and she knew that he wasn’t fooled either. She offered a wicked smirk, and his eyes glittered despite the blush rising on his cheeks. “Thank you, Maj. for helping get everything off of the train. I don’t travel very light, as you can see.”

“It’s no problem at all, Princess,” Maj. Armstrong said, smiling genuinely at her. He liked Mai, sweet as she was; being royalty hadn’t made her arrogant. “Allow me to help you get everything into the car first.” 

Mai flounced over to the car and unlocked the rear compartment, then began to take suitcases from the giant, stacking them into the trunk like a well practiced puzzle, each piece fitting as if it had been designed to go into that specific trunk space. Once all was set, she closed the trunk, and handed the keys to Al as he passed by heading to the dricer’s side. She could feel the electricity around him, his chi jumping around him like a live wire, and suddenly the short drive seemed far to long to the both of them. 

“We’ll meet you guys at the cafe!” Al said before sliding into the driver’s seat and pulling the door shut. He twisted the key in the ignition, then set his hand on Mai’s exposed knee, his fingers trailing up the slit in the fabric slightly. She sucked in an excited breath as they pulled away from the curb, resisting the urge to clamp her knees together for some sort of friction. “It’s been too long...” 

Mai squirmed in her seat as heat pooled between her legs at the soft, husky sound of Al’s voice. Boldly, she grabbed his hand and guided him up to the apex of her thighs; she could hardly wait until they were behind closed doors.


	3. The Word Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Al and Mai finally get some much needed alone time, of the steamy sort ;] and Al remember’s the first time he and Mai ever kissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***This chapter is explicit and contains sex***
> 
> This is the first time I’ve ever written sex in a story before (that i’ve Ever let anyone read, that it) so I’m a little nervous about it, but am confident that it is well written. 
> 
> Enjoy!!!

Pinako’s house was blessedly empty when they arrived, both she and Winry out to do wedding things, but Mai and Al hardly noticed, both too distracted by one another to even care. Mai was already heading For the stairs as Al locked the front door, her heart racing in anticipation of being loved in the most exquisite way by the man she loved. When she heard Al’s footfalls behind her, her stomach jumped in excitement and she ran faster, taking the stairs two at a time. She was quick on her feet, but Al had longer legs and caught her with a strong arm around the middle. 

“Why are you running, beautiful?” Al murmured into her hair, breathing in her intoxicating scent. “You know it’s no use.” 

“It’s fun to give chase,” Mai said, tilting her head to allow Al to kiss the soft skin of her neck, his breath tickling her as he inhaled the perfume of her skin. 

“Running makes you a very bad girl,” he said, twisting his fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck, making her gasp at the pain. She had come to greatly enjoy Al’s taste for causing pain during foreplay and sex, something that had shocked her at first, given his soft demeanor in the public eye. She recalled the first time they had ever slept together, a first for the both of them, yet Al had been as confident as she’d ever seen him, both in his desires and fulfilling hers. She supposed that it shouldn’t be too much of a shock, considering that he was studying to be a doctor, and had a plethora of medical text books of all kinds at his disposal, many of which she had sent to him personally. 

“You’re not a bad girl, are you? Because then I’d have to punish you, sweet thing.”

Mai’s legs melted at his words and the use of his pet name for her, and she arched her hips back into his, delighted to feel his hard arousal there, pressing firmly against the small of her back. She reached back to touch him, but he caught her wrist and made a tsk-ing noise. 

“Oh no,” he crooned, nipping at her earlobe. “Not yet, beautiful. It’s a shame I can’t take my time with you just yet.” 

“We’ll have plenty of time,” Mai said breathlessly, allowing Al to lift her up and carry her the rest of the way up the stairs and down the hall to his bedroom, setting her down long enough to open the door. 

Mai darted into the room and turned to face Al as he shut the door, rushing to jump and wrap her legs around his waist, momentarily thankful that she wore the dress with the thigh slit. Al caught her with ease, bringing his mouth to hers, moaning at the sweet taste of her lips. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to dip into her mouth against hers, causing a soft whimper to escape her. She had missed the sweetness of his kiss dearly; to her, it tasted like coming home after a lifetime away. 

Al moved to the bed and laid Mai down on her back, sliding his hands up her body, relishing the soft curve of her hips as he felt for the threading that held the bodice of her dress closed, pulling them open to reveal her breasts. He palmed one roughly, pinching the nipple as he gently bit on the other one, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from her. Mai arched up into him, raking her nails down his back, mildly annoyed that his shirt was still on, but she knew this had to be quick, lest they be late for lunch. They had plenty of time over their two month stay to catch up on every missed kiss and touch, and she vowed not to miss one second of it.

As if reading her mind, Al pulled back and moved to quickly undo his belt and free himself before pulling Mai to the edge of the bed by her hips. His manhood came free of his pants, standing erect and wanting, the tip of his cock slightly damp with a bead of desire. Mai ran her thumb in slowl circles just below his head, earning her a moan of pleasure. Giving him a coy smirk, she touched the tip where the wetness was, then brought her finger to her lips and slowly, deliberately, licked her finger clean, tasting the slightly salty fluid. 

Al dug his fingers into her hips at the sight, his pupils blown in feverish desire, and he pulled aside the thin, soft fabric she wore under her dress to reveal her glistening sex. He ran his fingers up her slit, circling where she needed it most, before dipping his fingers into her. Mai trembled at the contact, sighing as he moved his fingers within her in a come-hither motion. Al knew she was easy to please this way, taking only a few fluttering strokes to bring her to climax, causing her back to arch and walls to tremble as she cried out her delight. Twice more he pushed her over the edge until her knees were clamped hard around his hips in a desperate attempt at relief from the exquisite torment. 

“Are you ready for me now, sweet thing?” He asked before sucking on his fingers with a devilish grin that made Mai whimper. She reached down to help guide him into her; she gave a mixed gasp and sigh as he pushed into her, rolling her hips up to meet him. It had been a long while since he had been inside of her, and she relished the feeling of him spreading her apart as he burried himself to the hilt. Oh, yes she was ready, painfully so, and she knew that she would spend at the very least once more before he spent himself inside of her. 

They moved together slowly at first, falling back into a rhythm as if they had never parted. Al desperately wanted to make love to her, slowly and gently until she came undone around him time and time again, but an animalistic hunger overtook him, driving him to have her as hard as he could, the sound of her cries of pleasure driving him forward. 

Digging one hand into her hip and placing the other on her throat, Al began to rut roughly into her, losing himself in the feeling of her warmth. She was hot as fire within, slick and soft as the finest silk, and Al couldn’t imagine a more perfect feeling. Mai gasped, grasping his forearm and digging her nails in as she pulled him down to increase the pressure on her throat, making her dizzy. 

“I can tell you’ve missed me,” she said breathlessly, and he laughed. “You can stop holding back now.” 

“Those are dangerous words,” Al said, smirking at her while reaching to knot his fingers in the hair at the base of her skull, twisting painfully and making her gasp. He loved that sound; it was sweet and dangerous, sending bolts of pleasure straight to his core. Suddenly, he pulled away from her and, using his grip on her hair to turn her over onto her hands and knees, making her laugh in delight. He yanked her skirt up over her hips and pushed into her again, pulling back on her hair to make her whimper again. “You feel so damn good.”

Mai reached between her legs to touch herself, her fingers working quickly against her sex in time with Al’s movements; heat began to pool lower in her belly, a low burning fire that grew in intensity with each thrust. When she spent herself this time, she knew it would be a full body release, the kind that made her limbs feel heavy and languid, stars erupting in her eyes as she caught her breath. Mai let a moan of pleasure escape her, and the sound was like fuel on the fire that was within Al; he pulled her upright, wrapping one arm around her ribs to keep her there, and bit down on her shoulder. 

“Ah!” Mai gasped, wincing only slightly at the sharp pressure of his teeth as they dug into her flesh. She adored that pain when it was mixed with ecstasy, like a small drop of clarity before orgasm made everything foggy. “Yes, oh gods...” 

“You, are so beautiful,” Al said, punctuating each word with a hard thrust, his voice raspy with ecstasy and he moved faster, pushing them both towards climax, the fire between them flaring until it pushed them over the edge. 

Mai cried out as she went to pieces around him, her toes curling as waves of pleasure rippled through her body, as if an electric wire ran through every fiber of her being, carrying the pleasure to every single cell within her. Before the first wave could begin to ebb, another shook her, almost painful in its sweetness. She could feel his cock as it stiffened within her, mere seconds from spilling into her hot sex.

Al groaned low in his throat as he finished, spilling into her as she came down from her high, both panting softly as a warm wetness spread around where they connected, making her slippery with his seed, and his cock hyper sensitive to the contact of her. Al kissed Mai’s temple, holding her tightly for a moment, feeling one another’s heartbeats in a similar manner to how she taught him to read the dragon’s pulse when he first began learning alchehestry. He remembered that day very well, when it finally clicked in his head; it had been their first kiss. 

Mai had been wearing an Amestrian sundress that day, one he had bought for her to help with the unusual heat of the day. Made of fine, rose pink silk, it was much lighter and had more flow to it than her traditional Xingese garb. Al thought she looked lovely in whatever she wore, but he was particularly fond of this dress. Mai often wore clothing that covered a good deal of her skin, long skirted dresses with long sleeves and high collars, in a variety of shades, many of which he had never seen before. She was lovely to him, and Al adored her no matter what clothing she wore, yet he found himself transfixed by her bare skin. 

The sundress she wore that day was the color of summer oranges, accented with yellow trim and lacing up the back. It fell to just above her knees, with wide pleats that made it swirl about her legs in a fluid motion whenever she shifted or walked. The straps were thin, and wove intricately over her shoulders and across her upper back; Al found himself imagining what it would be like to gently slide them off, one by one until the soft, pale skin of her back was completely exposed. He wondered what her skin would feel like against his mouth, her delicate scent; he fancied that she would smell of sweet orange blossoms on a crisp spring morning. 

Before long, Al found his thoughts edging towards more base desires, and images of how beautiful her back would look with thin red wheels criss-crossing all over it, made by sharp, deliberate swats from the riding crop in the barn, or perhaps a switch plucked from the tree they sat under. Heat pooled low in his belly at the thought, but he couldn’t follow it very far. 

“Are you even listening, Alphonse?” Mai chided, pulling his attention back to her. She was knelt in front of him, hands placed firmly on her hips with displeasure. 

“Yes, of course,” Al said with confidence, not expecting her to call his bluff. It shouldn’t have surprised him at all; Mai had no tolerance for bullshit whatsoever. 

“Good, then you won’t mind trying this again, now will you,” she said, arching an eyebrow at him. Al gave a light laugh, and looked down at the circle Mai had drawn and paused, completely lost as to what she had been talking about. After a few seconds, Mai thumped the top of his head with the stick she’d used to draw the circle. “That’s what I thought.”

“We’ve been going over this for hours, Mai,” Al said, rubbing the top of his head and flopping onto his back. “I can’t locate the dragon’s pulse!”

“You could if you just focused!” she chided, scooting along the ground to peer down at him. Her hair, tied back in a singular braid, not unlike his brother’s, had a few long strands that had slipped free of their weave and now dangled to frame her face in the most beautiful way. “You said you read the books that I sent, correct?” 

“Of course I did, twice,” Al said, frowning up at her. “In theory, it makes perfect sense, it’s the practicality I’m having trouble with.”

Mai thought for a long second, a small crease forming between her eyebrows as she pursed her lips. Al used her pause to take in how lovely she looked with the sun causing a halo effect around her head. 

“Okay, why don’t we try it like this,” she finally said, taking his hand to pull him back into a sitting position. This time, she sat close enough that their knees touched, and Al felt a jolt of heat at the contact. “Think of the earth as a living being; she has a heart at her core, essentially a huge ball of energy that can be sent out all over through invisible pathways, not unlike a heartbeat. Are you with me so far?”

Al nodded and said, “The core is her heart, pathways are like veins.” Suddenly feeling bold, Al reached out to her and gestured above her heart, careful not to touch her without permission, and then drew an invisible line up from her chest to her shoulder, then down her arm. 

“Yes, very good,” Mai said, sounding more than a little breathless. Secretly, she wished that Al HAD touched her, but she forced the thought aside to continue the lesson. “Alchehestry works by attaching a transmutation to that flow of energy, allowing it to take place some distance away from the original circle.” 

“So... Kind of like when something makes your heart leap,” Al said, his voice low and husky. “Such as a freight causing first your heart to race, and then your stomach to flutter.” 

Color rose in Mai’s cheeks as she picked up the energy Al was giving off, which made her body react exactly how he was describing, only it wasn’t fear that was causing it. She licked and bit her bottom lip without thinking and nodded, unaware that she was leaning towards him. 

“Yes, or when you accidentally burn your fingertips with a match,” she said, glancing down at his mouth. “The shock of pain making- mmm!”

Al leaned forward, closing the distance between them and pressing his mouth to hers and bringing his hands up to cup her face. Neither of them had kissed someone before, resulting in an awkward dance between them for a brief moment before they found a slow rhythm. Al moaned low in his throat, relishing the sweet taste of her, like honeysuckle and lavender tea on a hot day, the most beautiful thing he had ever tasted. 

Mai responded in kind, humming softly in delight and wrapping her arms around Al’s neck to pull herself closer to him. He lifted her up and set her on his lap as if she weighed no more than a feather, and she pressed herself closer to him, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. She was greatly aware of the fact that her dress was made of very thin fabric; the only things standing between their skin was her dress and his shirt, and she found herself tempted to undo the buttons. She decided better of it though, and broke the kiss for a moment.

“Oh, yes,” she said, laughing. “Or the spark of arousal stemming from a kiss. Very good!” 

“You aren’t so bad yourself,” Al said, placing another light kiss on her mouth. “Think I should try again, with the remote transmutation I mean.”

“Yes,” Mai said, blushing again as she slid off of his lap. “I want you to do the whole thing though, from the top: draw the circle, plant the Kunai, and make me something. It doesn’t have to be super impressive, just enough to demonstrate that you’ve grasped the concept.” 

Al nodded, then turned to focus on the task. All he needed to do was think of it as a heartbeat, carrying the transmutation from his hand to a spot a few yards away. Taking a deep breath, he dug a transmutation circle into the dirt with his fingers, then sank the points of the Kunai into the points where the main lines crossed the outer circle. He then carefully threw the next set into the same pattern, holding them by the point of the blade before giving a sharp flick of his wrist and releasing it to fly through the air and stick into the ground. He silently thanked Riza for helping him to learn this skill; if his aim was off by even a little bit, he could mess it up and cause a rebound. 

Once all of the blades were in place, Al pressed his right hand flat to the earth, and triggered a transmutation. He felt the pulse of the earth tug at the reaction, much stronger than he had anticipated, and he felt as though he was about to be pulled face first into his circle, but then he realized that it was just the energy transfer, and returned his focus to succeeding in his first try. He knew that, if he were still able, Ed would have been able to nail it on the first try. He had always been a fast learner, picking up on anything that was thrown his way with annoying ease. 

Blue light crackled under his hand, and then erupted in the circle that was a few yards away. Once the transmutation was finished, Al lifted his hand, and craned his neck to see if it had worked. 

“You did it, Alphonse!” Mai cheered, springing up to go take a closer look at what Al had created. Al joined her, kneeling down to inspect his creation. It was shoddy at best, the edges rough and mildly lopsided, but it was still pretty clear what it was. 

“Here, this is for you,” Al said, plucking it from the dirt and handing it to Mai proudly. Mai cupped her hands, and Al set a small quartz rose in her palms; the soft pink crystal was the size of a large plum, and appeared to be very solid, though she didn’t dare to pinch it to test the theory. She would feel awful if she crushed it. 

“Oh, Alphonse,” Mai said, blushing and fixing him with a dazzling smile. “Thank you! I love it!” 

“I love you.”

The words drew Al back to the present, and he blinked before looking down at Mai, who had rolled onto her side to stare lovingly up at him. They had never said those words to one another before, despite how long they had been together, both waiting for the moment when their heart told them that it was true, and not just nice words. Mai had meant them when she spoke; deep inside of her, right down to the core, she knew that she loved Al more than life itself, and would never love another as long as she lived. 

As a child, Mai found that she fell into what she assumed to be love fairly quickly, immediately devoting herself to someone she hardly knew, if at all. She remembered with mild embarrassment that she had had a crush on Ed, thinking she was in love with him without ever having even seen him in person. The two could easily joke about it now, but at the time, she remembered that it stung more than a bit to have her vision of love shattered. Now, she knew without a doubt what love was, and what it meant to give her heart to another in its entirety. 

Al, on the other hand, while always a kind and gentle soul, had never thought much on being in love. Through the majority of his childhood and adolescence, he’d been nothing but a soul attached to what amounted to a tin can. He knew what love was, of course; he loved his parents, and his brother and Winry, but he knew that to be a familial love. The search for answers to regaining his body hadn’t left much time to ponder on THIS type of love, the kind where you would gladly die so that she could live, the kind that burned him to his very core with a warmth he’d never imagined. The love that happened slowly, growing form a small ember into a roaring fire that consumed him; he never even put up a fight.

“I love you, Mai,” Al said, allowing the weight of the truth wash over him. He loved her, deeply and truly. Kneeling down next to the bed to by eye level with her, he tipped her chin up gently with two fingers, and kissed her, slowly and deeply. “I love you, I love you... I love you.”


	4. Mid-day Meal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group all sit down for a lunch together to catch up!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of filler, now that I look at it, but it’s necessary filler. Get’s the characters from one place to another, but I didn’t skimp on the level of writing that I can do, so I hope everyone still likes it. And I’m going to post the next chapter today as well, that way no one is left disappointed:]
> 
> Enjoy!

“Were you always left handed, or did you have to relearn everything after the accident?” 

The question, while not an original one by any means, met Ed just as he had brought a dumpling to his mouth, making him look up with a goofy face at Lan Fan, who had been the one to pose the question. She laughed at the sight while Ed chewed and swallowed in a slightly hurried manner before answering. 

“Ah, um, I was born right handed,” he said, setting his chop sticks down. “After I lost my arm, I had to learn how to write and use other utensils with my left hand.”

“You didn’t go back to your right hand when you got your auto mail?” Lan Fan asked. “Wouldn’t that have been easier?”

“You would think, but no,” Ed said, flexing the fingers of his right hand out of habit. “Sure I was wired to be right handed, but it wasn’t the same. I would’ve had to learn to write with my right hand AGAIN, and I didn’t have the patience for it. Same for when I got my arm back; it’s muscle memory is still at an eleven year old skill level, so it just made more sense to stay a leftie.”

‘It’s not your arm, not anymore.’ The thought came to his mind unbidden, and Ed felt as though someone had said it out loud. He flexed it’s fingers, and they responded as they always had, but the strange detachment from the limb remained. It was his arm, technically; it had the same fingerprints, same nail shape and knuckle length, the only difference being his crooked finger, and yet it simply wasn’t his. ‘Not anymore it isn’t. Was it ever yours?’

“I think it fits you,” Ling chimed in. “You seem more balanced that way, plus, I just can’t picture you writing the other way, it wouldn’t be right. Ha! Get it? RIGHT?”

Everyone at the table laughed, Ed included, and several waiters came to clear dishes and bring in more food, some looking exasperated at the way the Xingese could put food away. All together, the three of them had managed to devour the equivalent of four courses before Ed, Al and Maj. Armstrong had finished even one. Ed chuckled softly to himself, imagining the looks they would have once Winry and the others showed up; they deserved a hefty tip, that was for sure. 

As if his thoughts had summoned them, Winry, Roy and Riza, Pinako, Mrs. Hues and Elysia, and quite surprisingly, Olivier, all came in amid cheerful greetings and looks of disbelief. Ed stood to greet Winry with a hug and a kiss on top of her head before greeting the rest of the party. 

“You guys are just in time,” Ed said, hugging Riza and smiling at Roy. “Though you may still have to throw elbows to get anything with these guys around.”

“I was trying to talk Riza into wearing a dress,” Roy admitted, grasping Ed’s hand in a firm shake. While they were good friends, Roy and Ed still hadn’t quite gotten passed the superior-subordinate mindset that they had had during the war. Riza had assured Ed that it would pass, but he found himself doubting it on some level. Roy wasn’t an overly affectionate type, except when it came to Riza, and even then he was rather reserved. 

“Looks like you did a hell of a job,” Ed said sarcastically. 

“I’ll be in a dress tomorrow, that ought to be enough for the next few years,” Riza said, smiling fondly at Roy. Riza wore a decidedly feminine blouse that was a deep shade of red, and was tight enough to show her curves yet loose enough to conceal the side arms Ed knew she customarily had on her person. He knew where they were on her body, but he supposed that was more because he knew her that well and less his ability to see the slightly rigid folds in her shirt where the cloth slid over them. The red of the shirt set off the amber tones in her light brown eyes, and made her jet black slacks stand out in sharp contrast to her pale skin. Her hair was down from it’s customary clip as well, brushed into silky waves that fell to just below her shoulders. 

Ed gave Roy a very pointed look as Riza took her seat, one which the raven haired man returned with the ghost of a smile. Roy was going to ask Riza to marry him, a secret that he had confided only to Ed for some odd reason. In the two years since the end of the war, Roy had worked with Fuhrer Grumman to develop a non-military task force whose specific purpose was to aid in protective details for high ranking officials, as well as training snipers for when such people needed eyes high up during public outings, such as a parade or live debate. Riza Hawkeye had been honorably discharged from the military and immediately placed in charge of this detail, thus, she and Roy were now on more equal footing as far as ranking went, and it was no longer fraternization for the two of them to love one another. 

The idea had been Ling’s, given to Roy during a trade meeting between the two countries, and Grumman had been down for the notion right away. He knew how much Roy loved Riza, and would gladly do anything for the both of them. Riza hadn’t been sure about it at first, but eventually relented, knowing that she would still be able to protect Roy at all times. 

“General Armstrong, you look... Rather out of place in a dress,” Ed said truthfully, giving Olivier a once over. The woman fixed him with a glare, clearly not amused. 

“I’m not on duty, Elric,” she said sharply, but not unkindly. “You may call my Olivier from now on, seeing as you’re no longer a dog of the military.” 

“Only if you agree to call me Ed,” he said, pulling out a chair for her in a gentlemanly gesture. Olivier resisted the urge to scowl at him, offering instead a small smile in thanks before taking her seat, moving with more grace than she appeared capable of, smoothing her dress down as she sat. 

“I can agree to that,” she said, nodding to him. Despite looking out of place, she looked lovely in her pale blue sundress. While it rose high in the front, almost to her throat, the back was completely open, revealing the skin of her back, corded with muscle and free of any blemish or scar, though Ed knew she had one on her right shoulder where she’d been cut during battle. 

Ed pulled a chair out for Winry before taking his own next to her and offering her a cup for tea, which she thanked him for with a kiss on the cheek, making him blush. She, too, looked lovely in a short skirt in a delicate shade of pink, topped with a mint green blouse, making her look a bit like an Easter egg, but it was still one of Ed’s favourite outfits on her. He thought it made her look like a Spring fairy in a way, but he’d never tell her that. 

“So, now that we’re all here,” Winry said, helping herself to a bowl of noodle soup. “Let’s go over the plans for tomorrow. We’ve got final fittings for the men, set up for the wedding and then the reception. The food and flowers will all come in the morning of, so that will be when we add the finishing touches on decorations.” 

“‘We’ implies that you’ll be part of that,” Mrs. Hues said over the rim of her water glass. “We can handle that part; you just focus on getting ready and relaxing until then, okay?” 

“But...” Winry began, but the looks shot at her by all of the women from the table quelled her objection. “You guys are so great, I can’t thank you enough.” 

“You can thank us by not complaining when we take you out on a girls day,” Elysia said brightly. “A nice spa day to relax before the big day!”

Winry glanced at Ed, who was smirking at her. She knew what that smirk said: don’t complain and don’t even think of lifting a finger tomorrow. 

“We can take it from here,” he reassured her, squeezing her hand. 

“You’re sure?” 

“Of course,” he said, flashing a cocky smile. “It’s my wedding too; you’ve done plenty up until now. Al and the other guys can help me with final details, and if we happen to need anything, we’ll just send for Riza.”

“Maid of honor card being played early,” Riza said in agreement, and Winry laughed. 

“You guys are too much sometimes,” she said, beaming at everyone. “But I’m going to delay that just until lunch is over, because we do need to make sure everyone knows when and where to be. The seamstress is coming to the house for the women, and the men will have to visit the tailor on site. Paninya is arriving this evening, so she’ll be supervising hair and makeup, and,-“

“Win,” Ed said, laying a hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright, we’ve got this. I’ve got it all written down, in fact.”

“You took notes?” Winry asked. 

“You’ve told me enough times that I could recite it by memory,” Ed said, reaching into his shirt pocket to pull out a sheet of folded paper to show her. “I figured that if I showed you that I had written it down, it might calm you down a bit.”

“Are you sure it’s not because you’re a smart ass?” Winry teased, but she smiled warmly at Ed and squeezed his upper thigh in thanks. The gesture, though innocent, sent a bolt of electricity through him, making his blood feel hot as it pooled low in his body, bringing something inside of him to life. Desire, he knew, having felt it before many times while he was with Winry. He wondered if he sparked the same reaction within her, making her heart race and blood hot with something as simple as a touch. 

“Maybe a little bit,” he said before taking a drink from his water glass. “But you can’t tell me that it doesn’t ease your mind at least a little bit.”

Winry smiled and kissed his shoulder, discretely breathing in the scent of his skin as she did so. Ever since they were kids, Ed had had a smell that reminded her of hot metal, like when one of the fence posts had been struck by lightening, and a deeper, spicy note that she was never able to describe until she was much older: bourbon. Rich and warm, it made her feel calm in a way she had no words to explain. When his arm was automale, the smell of oil had mingled in, a heavy smell that wasn’t unpleasant, but she preferred this way better. Just the heady smell of Edward, the man she loved and would be wed to. 

“It does,” she said.


	5. Longing Before The Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winry is feeling deep longing for Ed before the wedding, and takes matters into her own hands.   
> The men enjoy a day at the lake for Ed’s bachelor party, and Ed talks to Roy about the odd thing he discovered in his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts out steamy, so a slight NSFW/Graphic content warning is in order, I suppose. Getting close to the wedding day, which I have had a lot of fun writing, so I hope this chapter satisfies until it’s done and I’m ready to post. 
> 
> Enjoy :]

Winry lay in her bed that night, wide awake and wondering. ‘One day,’ she thought, smiling to herself as she wound a lock of hair through her fingers. ‘One day, and I’ll take his name... I’ll be his wife!’

The end of that thought made her grin outright; she was going to marry her best friend since childhood, something she never thought about as a kid. No, it wasn’t until the very beginning of the Promised Day War that she realized that she was in love with him. Though the day she realized it was a sad one, the thought had stuck with her for months: did she love him? Was it a new thing, or something that had always been there, deep inside of her heart? It wasn’t until she had been brought to Briggs that she knew for certain; as soon as she saw him, she knew that it was true. She was in love with Edward Elric, and had been for most of her life. 

Winry rolled onto her side, facing to door, wondering if Ed was awake like she was. Laying in bed, mind racing here and there; more likely he was fast asleep, tangled in his bed sheets, golden hair tossed around his head and over his pillow, bare chested and one arm draped over his eyes. 

Absently, she began to imagine what it would be like to crawl into bed with him, curl up against him, laying her head on his chest so she could hear his heartbeat. She imagined that he would be very warm, considering he slept in next to nothing and only a sheet...

It suddenly occurred to her that, while she wore a nightgown to bed, it was very sheer, and she wore no panties at all. If she were to sneak over to his room, they would be very near to naked with one another. The thought brought heat to her cheeks, which then traveled downward, pooling low in her belly, and she bit her lip in response. Her libido had roared to life in the past few years, urging her to explore herself in new ways, ways that never seemed enough to quell the fire inside, only to feed it and make it worse. She knew that what she really craved was Edward, and not even her own impatient hands would do, no matter how easily she could bring herself to climax. 

Slowly, she traced her fingers down her stomach, jumping slightly as she tickled the skin around her naval. She pulled the edge of her nightgown up and found the apex of her thighs, hot and wet with arousal. She moaned softly as she ran two fingers up and down her sex before slipping her fingers inside and slowly moving them in a beckoning gesture. She imagined how it would feel if it was Ed who was making her feel this way, gently coaxing every whimper out of her with ease... Maybe even bringing his mouth to her sex, moving his tongue in slow circles on the bud of flesh in time with his fingers, all the while gazing up at her with those blazing gold eyes of his. 

Her orgasm gripped her without warning, hard enough to make her arch off of the bed slightly and clap her free hand over her mouth to muffle her cries. Her body shook with pleasure, but not long enough, and too soon she was coming down from the high of it, which frustrated her to no end. She wanted more than she could gain from her own hands... She wanted, no, NEEDED Edward to be here with her, to share this delight, to play her body like an instrument until she spent herself enough times to forget her own name. She wanted him over her, close enough to feel the heat of his body on hers, to taste his lips as he seated himself inside of her, joining them together at last. 

A gentle knock came on the door as her second orgasm gripped her, pulling her from her fantasy, but not the throws of pleasure. She clamped her knees together in an attempt to shorten the moment, but it didn’t work as well as she had hoped. The knock came again, and she knew she’d have to answer before someone opened the door and found her in this state. 

Muttering a curse under her breath, Winry rolled out of bed, choking off an moan before it escaped her throat. Knees shaking, she smoothed her hair from her face, then took a deep breath before opening the door; she peered out to meet a pair of familiar, staggering golden eyes, and she nearly let out a squeak of shock. 

Ed stood looking at her as if summoned by her thoughts, his long hair tousled with sleep, though his eyes held no evidence that he’d been asleep at all. He smiled at her, but his brow was pinched with concern, and he didn’t need to speak to communicate that he wanted to come inside. Winry stepped and beckoned him in without a word, then closed the door gently before turning to face him. 

“I thought I heard something,” Ed said in a low voice, unaware of what it did to her. Gods, she wanted him to whisper to her in that low, husky voice as he held her... “Are you alright?”

“I, uh,” she mentally shook herself. “I’m fine, just having trouble getting to sleep is all.” 

Ed fixed her with a searching look, and she swore she could feel his eyes burning into her skin as he looked her over. She knew he could see the flushed tone of her cheeks, even in the low lighting, and understanding dawned on him quickly. He smirked knowingly at her, despite beginning to blush himself. 

“Have I interrupted something?” He teased, moving closer and brushing a lock of her hair from her face. She could feel the heat radiating from his bare chest, and was unable to stop herself from closing the small distance between them, placing a hand flat on his chest and causing him to give a sharp intake of breath. She could feel the effect she had on him brushing her thigh, and she pressed herself closer to feel his hard arousal against her hip. 

“Not at all,” she assured him, gazing into his eyes to see his pupils were blown, the sight giving her more satisfaction that she thought it might. Simply knowing the effect she had on him ignited the heat in her blood; he wanted her, too, badly if his stiff length against her hip and belly were any indication. Feeling bold, Winry ran her hand down Ed’s chest and stomach, fingers tracing the thin track of hair that began below his naval and disappeared into his shorts, eliciting a soft gasp from him when her fingers came into contact with his length. She pressed her palm into him, marveling at what she felt; Winry had never seen any man naked before, let alone felt him up. Ed was to be her first and only, and it pained her somewhat that he had been insistent on waiting until their wedding night. 

“Easy there,” Ed said softly, taking Winry’s hand when she attempted to slip it inside the waist band of his shorts. Winry gave him a sour look, which only made him laugh softly. “Don’t work yourself into a frenzie.”

“I’d say it’s too late for that,” Winry said lightheartedly before standing on her toes to place a light kiss on his lips. “For both of us.”

Ed smirked in agreement before saying, “You should sleep now, it’s getting late, and lord knows the girls are going to drag you all over town tomorrow.”

“So far as I know, Riza has a spa day planned, and Mai wants to visit a jewelry shop of sorts in the next town over,” Winry said. “She said that my ‘something borrowed’ is being cleaned there, so we’re going to pick it up.” 

“She mentioned that to me,” Ed said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “She wouldn’t tell me what it was, but I wouldn’t want to know anyway. I would rather it be a surprise...”

“As well you should,” Winry teased, following Ed to the door. “I can’t expect to dazzle you if you know what to expect.”

“You always dazzle me, whether you’re in a dress or dirty coveralls,” he said, turning to face her when he reached the door. Before leaving, he placed a kiss on the top of her head, her forehead, and at last her lips. “Sleep well, Winry; I love you.”

“I love you too, Ed,” Winry said softly, already missing his presence. She crawled back into her bed, feeling the vast emptiness of it, but despite that, she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow, and she dreamed of Ed’s hands upon every inch of her body. 

 

“Good morning,” Winry said, coming into the kitchen he next morning, her hair still damp from her shower. Pinako was busy at the stove, cooking what smelled like pancakes and eggs, having been up since first light to do morning chores. The elderly woman glanced over her shoulder at her granddaughter with a welcoming smile. 

“Good morning, Winry,” Pinako said. “I trust you slept well; coffee is just about ready... And while I think I’ve made enough food to start, I would still grab some before the boys venture down here.”

“Yeah, I slept well,” Winry said, blushing slightly, though she didn’t know why. Granny had no way of knowing what she had dreamed about, but her innocent words had struck very close to home. Brushing her unwarranted embarrassment aside, she noticed the comically large mountains of pancakes and paused. “Uh... Are we feeding an army?”

“Well, we’ve got you and the boys, Roy, Riza, the Hues’, as well as Ling, Lan Fan and Mai,” Pinako said, ticking off each name on her fingers. 

“So, the short answer is yes,” Winry said, smiling and shaking her head. “Ed calls Ling and company the Xingese locusts.”

“I’d say that’s a fitting title,” Pinako said, lightly jumping down from the stool in front of the stove, then hopping up onto another one to attend the coffee presses, two of which belonged to Winry and Ed. Winry had insisted on opening them early for exactly this purpose, knowing that one coffee press wouldn’t be anywhere near enough to fuel the party that would be in the house that weekend. 

“Mmm, I smell coffee.”

Winry glanced over her shoulder to see Paninya ambling into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She had gotten in late the night before, but was her usual chipper self despite the lack of sleep. 

“First press is ready, dear,” Pinako said, reaching into the cupboard to start bringing down coffee mugs. 

“You are a saint, Granny,” Paninya said cheerfully, moving to hug Winry and place a kiss on her cheek. “YOU, are positively glowing this morning! You’re probably going to blind everyone tomorrow if you get anymore radiant!”

“You are being ridiculous,” Winry said with a laugh. 

“What? Everyone knows that a bride has a glow about her,” Paninya said as she poured two mugs of coffee, then handed one to Winry. 

“I thought that was when a woman was pregnant,” Winry said, adding cream to her coffee. 

“Are you trying to tell us something?” The other girl teased, wiggling her eyebrows, and Winry threw a towel at her playfully, eliciting a laugh from the both of them. “You’re so easy to get a rise out of.” 

“Who’s getting a rise out of what?” Winry looked over to see Ed coming into the kitchen, holding a hairband between his teeth. He moved to Winry’s side, and she leapt lightly onto the counter as if on cue and began to braid Ed’s hair. Paninya smiled at the simplicity of the gesture, noting that it was likely the most adorable thing she had ever seen. 

“Just teasing Winn, that’s all,” she said, sipping her coffee. Winry made eye contact with her over Ed’s head, and the two girls shared another giggle. Ed rolled his eyes at them, deciding that he didn’t really want to know, given the nature of the giggle. 

Winry finished plaiting Ed’s hair and tapped his shoulder to indicate that she was ready for the hair tie, which he passed to her automatically. Winry loved playing with his hair, and was happy that he had decided to keep it long; she couldn’t imagine it any other way. She secretly hoped that their children would have his hair color, rich, staggering gold that seemed otherworldly, almost angelic. She knew that he would cringe at her description, and the thought made her smile as she kissed the top of his head. 

“Granny made pancakes,” Winry said, passing a cup of coffee to Ed. “We’re going to have a full house for the next few days, so she cooked enough to feed an entire village.” 

“She should’ve made a lot more than that,” Ed noted. “Ling can eat that much just on his own!” 

“Well, they’re going to be here in half an hour, so I would load up a plate or two if you plan on eating at all this morning,” Winry said, sliding off the counter and turning to begin taking down plates to pass around. Feeling coy, Winry slid passed Ed and deliberately brushed her hip into him, earning her a soft gasp. “Oh, excuse me.”

“You’re not clever,” Ed whispered, pulling her into him so she could feel just how ‘not clever’ she was; he was full hard, and he pulled her hips back into him as if to emphasize it, kissing her temple. Had they been alone, she may have let out a moan, but Al could be heard coming down the stairs, so she bit her cheek to remain quiet. “You’re so impatient.”

“I prefer to use the word excited,” Winry said, turning to face him, her cheeks burning. 

“Try incorrigible,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Then I’d agree with you.”

“Who’s agreeing with what now?” Al said, running his fingers through his damp hair with one hand and rumbling Paninya’s with the other. Paninya poked his ribs in response, not looking up from her plate of food. 

“It’s not important,” Ed said to his brother as he handed him a plate. “Granny made pancakes.”

“I see that,” Al said, eyeing the many stacks of steaming pancakes. “I still don’t think this will be enough.”

“I think Granny went to get more eggs from the hen house for another few batches,” Winry said, helping herself to a few and spreading butter on them. “Remember your mission this weekend: Keep the locusts away from the reception food!”

“Don’t worry,” Al said around a mouthful of breakfast. “We’ve got decoy food well stocked, and Maj. Armstrong said he’d run defense, just in case.”

“I can’t tell if you’re poking fun at me or being serious,” Winry said, though she gave Al a thankful smile. 

“A little of both,” he said, returning her grin. 

Just then, someone rapped a knock on the door, followed by a commotion of many voices, signaling that at least the locusts had arrived. Winry craned her neck to see that it was the entire motley crew, lead by Mai, who barreled into the kitchen and right into Al’s arms for a hug before turning to Winry. 

“Good morning! Are you ready for your girls day?” She asked brightly as she shrugged out of her light jacket. “The train leaves at eleven thirty, so we’ll have to get going right after breakfast, and maybe we can even leave a little bit early to stop by the tea shop! They have a sign in the window saying that they have a new spring jasmine tea!” 

Winry looked over to Ed, who only smiled and shook his head; she knew he was going through the same thing with the guys, though with less girlish squealing. 

 

“I’m king of the dock!” Ling yelled, thrusting his fists into the air as Al landed in the water with a splash. Ed hauled himself out of the water and back onto the dock, laughing as Ling did a dramatic turn and bow. For Ed’s bachelor party, all of the men had decided to go out to the lake for an afternoon of childish antics, drinks and food, and Ed was relieved for it. He wasn’t one for bars, and he thought that the fact that there was only one tiny pub in the town worked in his favor this time. 

Rolling onto his back and closing his eyes, Ed laid in the sun, feeling a mix of anxiety and peacefulness that felt odd to him, mainly due to the reason for his anxious thoughts. Though he had done his best to keep his mind off of it, the painful bump in his right shoulder continued to bother him. He felt as though everyone could see it, see that it wasn’t his arm anymore and that he was crawling in his skin to have it exposed like this. He told himself that he was being ridiculous, but Mai had noticed that there was something wrong with it, hadn’t she? True, she had poked him, which caused her to notice, but he knew that Ling could read chi, so wouldn’t it make sense that he could tell?

“You seem pensive,” Roy said, drawing Ed out of his thoughts. He opened one eye to peek up at the tall man, who wore an oddly knowing smile on his face as he sat down. In the back of his mind, he was glad that Roy had sat on his left side; he didn’t want anyone too close to the other side... 

“Hmm?” Ed hummed, opening his other eye and sitting up.

“Something on your mind?” Roy asked. “Pre-wedding jitters?”

“Surprisingly, no,” Ed admitted with a forced laugh. “What’s to be afraid of? I’m marrying the woman I love, everyone I hold dear is here with me. Why, do you think I should be nervous?”

“No, I wasn’t saying that,” Roy said, slicking his wet hair out of his eyes and fixing Ed with a look that said ‘Come on, Elric.’ “Just noting that you seem lost in thought is all.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“I was your commanding officer for years, Ed,” Roy said matter of factly. “I think it’s safe to say that I can read you well enough to guess when something is on your mind.”

Ed glanced down at his hands -hand, the right one wasn’t his- and thought for a second. He trusted Roy with his life, so he knew that he could open up about his arm, the question was, did he want to? He hadn’t even told Al about it, allowing his brother to think that it was all of the wedding chaos that was weighing his mind. He knew that if Al had asked, he would have told him, but since he hadn’t, Ed had just let it slide. Now, Roy was indicating that he knew something was up, and was offering any help that Ed might need without even having to say it. 

“I noticed something... Odd, about my arm yesterday,” Ed confessed, gesturing to his right side. 

“What about it?”

‘Oh, nothing, just that it’s wrong and doesn’t BELONG on my body anymore.’ The thought nagged at him, and his fingers twitched as if in agreement. ‘Or maybe that I’ve contemplated removing it again?’ 

“Half of my collar bone is missing,” Ed said, mentally cursing his inner voice for daring to venture back to the latter thought. “And... I don’t know, I think there’s something still in there, under the skin.” 

Roy’s brow furrowed, and he said, “What, like a chunk of metal?”

“What else would it be?” Ed asked, reluctantly twisting to show Roy the flat, painful bump. “It’s just bothering me that the doctors didn’t catch it, or even notice that half of my collar bone is just up and GONE.” 

Curiously, Roy held up a hand to indicate he wanted to check what Ed was talking about, and waited until Ed nodded his consent before prodding the space where the bone ought to have been. His eyes went wide when he realized that what the younger man was saying was very true: it was as if it had been pulled in half, and he could feel the edge, slightly jagged from the disconnect. Ed refused to wince, as if allowing himself to shy away would further drive home the notion that the limb was no good. 

“Have you seen a doctor about it?” Roy asked, continuing to poke around at Ed’s shoulder. Ed did flinch when Roy found the bump, hissing between his teeth in pain. “What is that?”

Before Ed could answer, Ling barreled into him, knocking them both into the water where they wrestled for a moment before coming up for air. Ling was roaring with laughter that Ed couldn’t help but join in on; he shoved his hand through the water at his friend, sending a small wave of water into his face. 

“Hey, king of the dock,” Al yelled from on top of the wooden structure. “Feeling like defending your title?” 

“You get his legs, I’ll take him down,” Ling said to Ed, and they both swam for the dock.


	6. The Dream Before The Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed has a moving dream before waking up to a gift from his bride to be, and Winry gets ready to walk down the isle with the help of her bridesmaids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I based a lot of this chapter on the morning I got ready for my own wedding, so a lot of what you read really happened to me. Mine and my husband’s wedding day was amazing, so I drew inspiration from it. 
> 
> Enjoy!!
> 
> “And love, if your wings are broken, we can brave through those emotions too...  
> I’ll be your eyes when yours can’t shine, I’ll be your arms, I’ll be your steady satellite. And when you can’t rise, I’ll crawl with you on hands and knees, ‘cause I’m gonna stand by you.”   
> -‘Stand By You’ by Rachel Platten

Ed stood in front of a very large looking glass in a room he didn’t recognize, surveying his own reflection. His golden hair was tied back in a ponytail, his unruly bangs flopping in his eyes. He wore a deep grey suit with obsidian cufflinks, a gift from Roy for his wedding, the vest underneath was a rich blue, so dark it almost looked black. The deep colors contrasted with his hair and eyes, making him look almost ethereal. 

“You look just like your father.” Ed started at his mother’s voice, turning to his right to see Trisha smiling up at him with tears of joy in her bright blue eyes. “You look so handsome, Edward.”

“Mom,” Ed said softly, realizing that he was dreaming. Trisha reached up and touched her son’s cheek lovingly, and Ed felt tears prick his eyes. 

“Hello, Ed,” she said. “You’ve grown up into such a wonderful young man. I only wish your father and I could be there to see you tomorrow...”

“Me too, mom,” Ed said, and tears slid slowly down his cheeks. “I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too, sweetheart,” she said, brushing the tears away from his face with gentle fingers. “We both do.”

“And we’re so very proud of you.” Ed turned to see his father standing behind him, a kind smile on his face. Much to Ed’s surprise, he didn’t feel any animosity towards Von Hoenhiem at all, but instead a wave of sorrow overtook him. 

“I...” he said softly, a lump forming in his throat. For nearly all of his life, Ed had hated his father for leaving them, and for showing up at the last minute to help them, hell, he hated him for even existing most days. But, Ed had also grown to understand why his father had left, even though it pained him at first to admit it, and when he had offered his own life to bring Al back from the other side, Ed found that he simply couldn’t hate him anymore. Instead, he became angry that he wouldn’t ever know his father, and angry with himself for having harbored so much hatred towards him for all those years. 

“I know,” Hoenhiem said, and he pulled his eldest son into a hug. 

“You should both be here,” Ed choked out. “Both of you! You should be there when I say I do, and be there to meet your first grandchild, and teach them things Winry and I can’t!”

“Ssshhh,” Trisha said, turning Ed’s face to her. “We will be there, Edward, always; even if you can’t see us, we are always with you, and will be forever.”

Trisha pulled Ed into a hug as she began to cry, Hoenhiem wrapping them both in an embrace and kissing the top of his son’s head, and they stood that way for a long time, crying silently.

BANG BANG BANG!

Ed jolted awake at the hurried knock on his door, and was momentarily pissed at whoever it was on the other side. He rubbed his eyes and wasn’t surprised to find that they were damp with tears. His dream had been so vivid, he could still almost feel his parent’s embrace around him. He didn’t believe in heaven, but he began to feel as though he might start having faith in an afterlife of some sort, and the thought gave him a rush of hope and love. 

“Even if I can’t see you,” he murmured softly to the empty room, then he sat up and kicked the sheets off of his legs and made his way to the door. He opened it a crack and saw that it was Ling who had hammered on his door. “I didn’t order a wake up call.”

“True, but I’m a good friend and did it anyway,” Ling said, grinning from ear to ear. “Now that you’re up, Winry wanted me to give this to you.” 

Ling handed Ed a slim box that had a small note taped to it. Ed arched an eyebrow at Ling, who gave an encouraging nod, then plucked the note from the box to read it: 

‘I’ll see you then! I’ll be the one in white. Love, Winry.’

Confused, Ed took the lid from the box and saw that nestled inside a soft bed of black satin was a pair of obsidian cufflinks and an elaborate skeleton watch, with black leather straps and obsidian chips on the twelve, three, six and nine spots on the watch face. The clock hands were frozen at two, the time of the wedding, and the note suddenly made sense. 

“They’re handmade from Xing,” Ling said proudly. “The obsidian mined from the Lockshine mountain range near the Palace City, the platinum mined from the Desert Edge canyon and leather tanned by one of my own clan!”

“This is incredible,” Ed mused, running his index finger over the smooth surface of the watch face. 

“She commissioned it a while back,” Ling explained, leaning on the door jam with a casual ease. “Originally she wanted sapphires, but we couldn’t find any that she liked.”

“Obsidian is the material my ring is made out of,” Ed pointed out, moving back into his room and setting the box on his bedside table. 

“The wild Elric, wearing an outfit that’s actually coordinated! Who would have thought it would be possible, considering your piss poor taste as a teenager,” Ling teased. 

“Hey! I have a kick ass sense of style,” Ed quipped. “Carpentry just isn’t the best place for it is all.”

“Trading in all black and a gaudy red cloak for heavy duty denim, work boots and light cotton button downs,” Ling said. “Trust me, Ed, it’s a good upgrade for you.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Ed said, moving to close the door. “I’ll be down in a few minutes after I shower.”

“I’ll save you a cup or two of coffee!”

“I don’t believe you,” Ed laughed as Ling headed back down the stairs, jumping up on the railing to slide all the way down. Ed shut the door with a click and shed the loose shorts he wore to bed, tossing them in the basket on his way to the bathroom. He turned the tap, and while the water began to heat, he glanced around, remembering the weeks worth of work it took to complete the addition to the Rockbell household. 

It had been his idea, to add another story to the already large house, as well as a massive garage attachment where Winry could have her workshop, a place of her own to do local as well as far off repairs by mail request. The business had flourished, reaching out passed the border of Amestris into Xing and far beyond in the east, a feat aided by Ling and Mai. Originally, Ed had wanted to build an entirely new house, but Pinako had insisted that he only add to the existing one, citing her old age as a factor. It wasn’t something that Ed liked to think about, but he knew the truth in the matter: someday, Pinako would pass away, and she intended to leave the house and land to he and Winry. She did promise that she would live to see her first grandchild at the very least, and Ed hoped that Granny would be able to witness the birth of ALL of her future grandchildren. 

Once the water was hot, Ed stepped in and drew the curtain back, allowing the near scalding water to cascade over his body. It stung along his scars, but not to the point that it was unbearable, though it was worse on the ones upon his shoulder. Absently, he rand his left hand up the length of the foreign limb, hating it with a loathing so strong that an insane thought began to occur to him. 

What if he were to remove it again himself? Cut it away from his body as if amputating a gangrenous appendage. It wouldn’t be so hard, would it? Just to take something sharp, use it to cut through the disgusting flesh until the socket of his shoulder could be seen, then shove the point into the joint, twisting to rest the bone from its grip? 

Ed’s hand had begun to shake as he imagined the pain it would put him through, and he found himself digging at the intersect of his body and the cursed thing. It struck him that what he was foolishly doing was not only completely insane, but impossible with his bare hand. He was strong, but not nearly strong enough to pull an arm from its socket. 

Silently cursing himself, Ed went about soaping his hair and body, scrubbing away the sweat from the night and slimy feeling that the thoughts of self mutilation had given him. As he rubbing a wash rag along his torso, he forced his thoughts to focus on the rest of the day, his wedding day. 

It seemed only slightly surreal, and he began to wonder if he should be more nervous. And yet, he wasn’t, not even in the slightest; if anything, he was so excited that he would start to tremble if he let himself. He smiled to himself as he rinsed soap from his long golden hair, imagining just how lovely Winry was going to look later that afternoon, garbed in all white, blonde hair in an elaborate updo that would likely never happen again. Winry was more of a tomboy than anything, and Ed loved that about her, but he couldn’t help but long to see her dressed as a queen. He was certain that Mai and Riza would ensure that she looked nothing short of spectacular before she walked down the isle. It was up to him to make himself look as though he belonged by her side without outshining her, though he knew the latter was impossible. 

Once the soap was gone from his hair, Ed turned the water off and stepped out of the shower to towel off, paying particular attention to his left leg, even bending to ensure the toe joints were completely dry, knowing full well that Winry would have a fit if it were to become waterlogged. Once he was dry, he made to his bedroom to pull on a light T-shirt and sweats to eat breakfast in, not wanting to be in his suit so early. 

Down in the kitchen, Pinako was busying herself making breakfast for all of the men, who were all standing around the counter eating, rather than sitting at the table. Ed smiled at the sight, enjoying the simplicity of it all; his best friends all gathered, laughing and joking over breakfast, Ling with his comically large stack of French toast, Maj. Armstrong holding his mug of coffee that looked ridiculously small in his massive hand, Roy and Al arm wrestling for some odd reason. Ed felt an overwhelming rush of love come over him, and he had to wipe his eyes before making an entrance. 

“Behold, the wild Elric!” Ling shouted, having seen Ed first as he strode into the noisy kitchen. Ed gave a dramatic bow, his still damp hair falling to curtain his face, and he gave it a decidedly over the top toss as he stood up from the bow. 

“Good morning, Ed,” Pinako said, bringing him a cup of coffee, which he took greatfully before quite literally kneeling down to hug the tiny old woman. “I trust you slept well?”

“I was out like a light,” Ed lied smoothly. In truth, he had laid awake for what felt like most of the night, his mind going back and forth from complete thoughtlessness to racing so fast that he couldn’t quite land on a solid thought before it had passed him by. And then when he finally did slip into unconsciousness, he had been thrown into a heart wrenching dream that left a lingering feeling of someone standing too close to him, yet when he turned, no one was there. Briefly, he made eye contact with Al, who nodded almost imperceptibly back, and Ed knew he’d be able to talk to his brother about it, certain that if anyone would understand, it was him. 

“Good to hear that,” Pinako said, ushering Ed into the kitchen, where everyone made room for him to stand at the counter to eat. He helped himself to several slices of the French toast, spreading a thin layer of butter on the top piece before dousing it all in blueberry syrup. “All of the details have been seen to, the flowers will be here in half an hour, so once that happens, we can get them set up and that will be that.”

“And everything is separated out, right? That way we know exactly which ones go where?” Ed asked around a mouth full of food. 

“You sound like Winry,” Roy teased, smirking over the rim of his coffee mug. Ed flipped him off by way of reply before looking back to Pinako, who nodded confirmation. 

 

Winry sat on a plush cushion while Riza and Mai tended to her hair and makeup, and Elysia painted her toenails a soft, almost translucent pink. She was struggling not to twitch too much, as her feet were turning out to be insanely ticklish. Mrs. Hues was sitting on the floor next to her daughter, holding the small vial of polish out for her daughter as she needed it. Winn couldn’t help but feel a bit silly, being doted upon as if she were royalty, yet at the same time she allowed herself to revel in it, enjoying the quality time with her friends. 

In her hands, Winry held a delicate hair comb that was encrusted with diamonds, its silver frame work tinged slightly with age. It was her something old, given to her by Granny in her mother’s place, and had belonged to not only her mother, but her mother’s mother, and so on, dating back to the founding of amestris, if Granny’s tale was to be believed. She planned to use it to hold her veil in place, and Mai insisted on seeing it before she started work on her hair to ensure that she could work the style around it. 

Her something blue, which had been given to her by Riza, was an ornate ankle bracelet with a matching one for her wrist. Wrought of platinum and white gold, with tiny flower blossoms that had striking blue topazes to form the petals, it was by far the most beautiful piece of jewelry Winry had ever owned. The bracelet on her wrist fit as perfectly as a glove, as it had been made just for her, with three thin rings looped around the last three fingers on her right hand so that it covered the top as if made of lace, mirroring its twin on her ankle. Riza had said that she knew Winry had planned to go barefoot under her dress and had taken that into account when she had it designed; the topazes had been Roy’s idea, a callback to Winry’s birth month. 

Mai had given her her something borrowed as well as something new in the form of a breathtaking Xingese ear cuff in the shape of a dragon that circled her ear like a tiny protector. It was forged out of iron and was very heavy, requiring an ornate chain to help fix it upright by being pinned into her hair. Mai explained that it had been her grandmothers, recovered and restored within the last few months, and Winry had almost objected to wearing it, thinking that it should be Mai herself who wore it, but the princess insisted. Along with the cuff, Mai had given her a pair of pearl earrings for her something new, and not just one for each ear. No, Mai had given Winry and entire set, commissioned specifically for the piercings she already had, each pearl left in its natural state, cupped in platinum cradles. 

“Mai, this is too much,” Winry had said, blinking tears from her eyes. “I can’t,-“

“You can and you will, your princess commands it!” Mai had said lightheartedly. “Every grown woman should have pearls, especially on her wedding day.”

“Amestris doesn’t have a royal family,” Winry said, glancing up at Mai to see her beaming with pride. 

“Well, by proxy it does,” she said, tossing her raven hair over her shoulder. “I may have countless half sisters, but you’re the one I think of as such, and therefore I am your princess!”

“I’m older than you,” Winry teased.

“True, but I’m princess from birth, so that outranks princess by royal decree!” 

Winry smiled to herself, wincing slightly when Mai accidentally scraped her scalp with a hair pin, forcing herself not to lean away, lest she earn another bop to the top of the head with a comb. 

“You’re not weird about your eyes, are you?” Riza asked, holding up a thin brush with an angle to it. Winn had no clue what it was, having never worn makeup a day in her life, but she knew that Riza was asking if it was okay to put the brush near her eyes. 

“I haven’t flinched when you used the first few,” Winry said, still eyeing the tool. She had stressed to Riza that she wanted a very soft look, nothing bold or outlandish. 

“The first few don’t go quite this close to your actual eye as this one,” she explained. “This is a liner brush, it goes just along your eyelashes. I get twitchy with this brush, and mascara wands, but not fluffy brushes.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear makeup before,” Mai said, and Winry nodded in agreement when Mai reached for another pin. 

“I didn’t wear it much when I was in uniform,” Riza explained, motioning for Winry to close her eyes. “If a bunch of us went out for a drink on the weekend, I would wear a little bit, but not as often as I do now. My new job allows for and sometimes requires it, I guess you could say.”

Winry recalled the letter Ed had received from Roy detailing the new job; to her, it had seemed less like a friendly FYI thing and more like a not so subtle hint that he was potentially offering Ed a position, but she didn’t voice that out loud. If Ed brought it up, she would genuinely talk about it, but until then, she let it lay. 

“All done!” Mai cheered, clapping her hands together. 

“Almost done here,” Riza said as she gently brushed Winry’s lashes with a spool brush, giving them a light coat of matte black that made her eyes pop while carefully accenting the soft shadow on her lids. “There we go, you’re all set!”

“Oh, Winry you look like a queen!” Elysia gushed. “Careful, your toes are still wet.”

Winry turned to look at herself in the mirror and gasped at what she saw. Her cobalt blue eyes were accented with the softest pink shadow, their shape highlighted by a thin brown line of shadow over her lash line, her eyelashes standing out boldly in a way she never thought possible. Her cheeks were lightly dusted with a warm blush, and her lips were tinted a medium shade of red, bringing the look together. 

Her hair was in an elegant updo, swept up on the sides to expose her ears and show off the ornate cuff, a raised braid trailing along the edges of the updo like a barrier. A delicately crafted fishtail weave went from her front hairline back to the crown of her head where a waterfall of curls fell down her back, angling to the left to make room for the comb and veil. Each ot the pins was tipped with diamonds, glittering in her hair like a light dusting of snow; random strands of curls were artfully pulled from place to hang at her temples and on her forehead, giving her an overall dreamy appearance. 

“Oh...” she breathed, bringing a hand to her mouth in surprise, tears pricking her eyes at the beauty who stared back at her. Winry had never considered her own beauty before; of course she had been told on several occasions that she was pretty, but it wasn’t something she ever put much stock in, content with being aware of her beauty and simply letting it shine as it would, if it could from under all of the grease and oil she was constantly covered in. 

Winry recalled the first time Ed had told her that she was beautiful; it was also the day he had first said that he loved her. She had been working on a full leg apparatus for someone, her shoulders shining with sweat, face and arms covered with oil, the farthest thing from pretty in her opinion. Ed brought in a tall glass of ice water and a grilled hand and cheese sandwich; she hadn’t heard him come in as she was cursing at the Allen key she was using to tighten a particularly small screw, but she could smell the food, and that brought her up from her work. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a... Colroful string of words come out of the mouth of anyone who wasn’t a salty old man,” Ed mused as he set the water and food down on the small table that didn’t have much room left on it. 

“I think I stripped the screw,” Winry grumbled, wiping her hands on a rag that she had tucked in her pocket. “I don’t know why but it’s been giving me trouble. Either the composition if the screw is off, making it too soft or I’m strong arming it.”

“Is it wrong that I’m betting on the latter?” Ed teased, earning him a glare. “I’m kidding! Look, just ask Al to take a look at it. If need be, he can strengthen it.”

Winry grumbled to herself, picking up the sandwich Ed had brought her, taking a bite and leaning against the workbench. As she ate, she began to calm, realizing that she was only cranky because she was hungry; when she looked up to Thank Ed for bringing her something to eat, she saw that he was gazing at her with an adoring look. 

“What?” She asked, suddenly feeling flushed and very aware of her body. She had her coveralls tied low around her hips and her belly was slightly exposed from the way she had tied her shirt off. The shirt was also one of Ed’s old ones and had a rip on the left shoulder, allowing it to dip off of her slim frame. 

“Just you,” he said, moving to stand directly in front of her, tucking an escaped lock of hair behind her ear. Color rose in her cheeks at the contact, and she found herself leaning into it, the warmth of his hand seeming to spread through her entire body. “You are so beautiful, you know that?”

“Huh?” Winry breathed, caught entirely off guard. 

“You’re beautiful,” he said, smiling. 

“I’m covered in grease and oil,” she said, glancing down at herself. “I think there’s even some in my hair and ears.”

“So? You’re still beautiful,” Ed said, brushing her cheek with his thumb. The tender gesture sent electricity through her body, making her knees feel like water. “You’re in your element, doing what you love to do, and you’re the most beautiful woman I know.” 

“Winry!” 

“Huh? Oh,” Winry mentally shook herself free of the memory, turning to face Mai, who had been the one to shout. “Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

“What do you think?” Mai asked, clapping her hands in a girlish manner. “I saw something similar in a book once, and I thought of you right away!” 

“I love it, Mai,” Winry said, standing to hug her friend. “Truly, it’s better than I could’ve imagined. Thank you so much.” 

At that moment, Pinako came into the room, dressed in a dark green dress that brushed the floor, making her look even shorter than she really was. Upon seeing her granddaughter, she halted, staring at her with awe, tears pooling in her eyes. 

“Oh, Winry,” she said softly, bringing her hand to her mouth. “You look just like your mother.”

“Thank you, Granny,” Winry said, beginning to cry herself. Riza stepped up to her side, gently dabbing under her eyes with a soft handkerchief to keep mascara from running down her cheeks. 

“It’s about time we get you into your dress now,” Pinako said, wiping tears from her own eyes. 

“Okay,” Winry said, taking a deep breath to clear the tears from her eyes. Her stomach began to flutter with excitement as she stepped behind the tall wicker screen and slipped her robe off of her shoulders. Riza pulled the dress from its garment bag and brought it over to help Winry slide into it, pulling the lacing in the back just tight enough for it to stay up long enough for Winry to step back out and allow Pinako to finish tying it off. 

Pinako hummed while she pulled the lacing, the tune light and slow, following the melody of a song Winry’s father used to sing her to sleep with. When the dress was situated, Pinako took the delicate comb and pinned the veil just under the tumble of curls, then stepped back. 

“I think you’re ready, dear,” Pinako said, and the girls all nodded in agreement.


	7. An Angel Comes Down the Isle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ceremony is upon them, and Ed gets a surprise visitor before the wedding begins. 
> 
> Ed and Winry exchange vows and kiss for the very first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been a minute since my last update! Life can be crazy sometimes, and other projects tend to get in the way. Hope you all like it, and if you do, give it a share :] I greatly appreciate it!!!

Ed glanced down at his watch for what felt like the millionth time that day, watching as the minute hand ticked in a circle, edging closer and closer to the appointed hour. The morning had passed by at a snails pace, though he did enjoy the company; he wondered if he should talk with Al about his dream. Not that it bothered him, he simply knew that it was something Al would like to know about. They had both endured trauma, and leaned on one another whenever the nightmares plagued them, forging their bond even stronger. 

That was one thing that he had learned in the war: to lean on others when he needed it, rather than bottle it up inside. He smirked at the memory of Maria slapping the taste out of his mouth after the fifth laboratory fiasco, a thing well deserved, and filed the thought away for a later time. 

A knock sounded on the door, and everyone looked up towards it as it swung open, then Maj. Miles entered the room, a broad smile on his face. His customary glasses were gone, and he wore a crisp looking button down that was a faint blue color, tucked in to a pair of black slacks. Ed jumped up and rushed over to greet him, shaking his hand before Miles pulled him into a tight hug. 

“Sorry we’re late,” Miles said. “Wild animals were crossing the tracks, which took far longer than necessary.” 

Ed didn’t need to voice his question about who ‘we’ was; a second figure stepped through the doorway, one Ed had never expected to meet again in this lifetime. 

Scar offered a smile, deep concern flooding his red eyes. He had changed slightly, his grey-white hair was quite a bit longer, tied back in a low ponytail with a leather thong, the sides of his head shaved to the skin. The seemingly permanent scowl that he had once worn as a mask was gone, and in it’s place was the face of a man who had found peace. He was also dressed in a suit of light grey, the sleeves rolled up to show the tattoos on his massive arms. 

For a long moment, Ed wasn’t sure what to say, let alone feel. He had been under the impression that Scar had died in the war, giving his life while fighting Bradley, it had never occurred to him to ask anyone about him. Surprisingly, there was no animosity in Ed’s heart for the man; he had been redeemed in his mind for choosing to fight alongside Ed and the others. 

“You’re alive,” Ed said dumbly, still staring at the Ishvalan monk, who shifted uncomfortably. 

“I wanted to speak with you, if I could,” Scar said. “About what I did, and my being here on this day. If you wish for me to leave, I will, and I won’t harbor any ill feelings towards you or young Winry. This is a joyous day in both of your lives.”

Ed thought for a moment before saying, “If we dwell on the past, we won’t ever move forward. We can’t change it, we can only accept it and grow from it. I don’t hold it against you anymore, and haven’t for a long time.”

“And... Winry?” Scar asked, unable to contain the hopefulness from entering his tone. 

“I can’t speak for her,” Ed said. “She has a good heart, so I can at least promise that she will hear you out.”

“I can ask for nothing more.” 

“I apologize for dropping this on you,” Miles said. “It was a very last minute decision on our part.”

“It’s fine,” Ed insisted. “It’s good to see you, really, it is.”

“Hey, Ed,” Al said, standing to walk over to his brother. “It’s time to go.”

A shock of excitement flashed through Ed’s body, and he grinned at his brother before turning to Miles and Scar, who had visibly relaxed after Ed told him that he could stay. Miles gave a curt nod, and they both left presumably to sit with the other guests. 

“We go out first, Edward,” Maj. Armstrong said, straightening his tie. The enormous man had revealed that he was ordained when Ed and Winry had first announced their engagement, and the couple could think of no one better to wed them. 

Ed glanced around at his groomsmen, Al, Ling and Roy, all giving him an encouraging smile, and he couldn’t be more proud of the men he chose to be by his side that day. He nodded, then followed Maj. Armstrong out to the foyer, groomsmen in tow. All of the bridesmaids were present, dressed in different dresses that were the same shade of lavender, tasteful bouquets in their hands. Mrs. Hues and Pinako wore the same dark dresses, and were walking Winry down the isle together, the former coming forward to kiss Ed on the cheek. 

“You look very handsome, Edward,” she said, her eyes already shimmering with unshod tears. Color rose in Ed’s cheeks and he cast a look down at himself; he was dressed in a black suit with a lavender vest and tie to match, the obsidian cuff links standing out on the sleeves of his white button down. His long hair had been pulled back in a ponytail rather than his customary braid, as he felt it looked more mature, though he knew that no one else thought negatively of either style. 

“Thank you, Mrs. Hues,” Ed said, pulling her into a quick hug. “You look lovely yourself.” 

“Go on, there’s plenty of time after the ceremony to make me cry,” Mrs. Hues joked, giving Ed a gentle push. With that, Ed followed Maj. Armstrong down the front steps and across the grounds until they reached the isle where soft guitar music began to play. Without missing a beat, the two men marched up the isle, Ed smiling at those who met his eyes, and up to the front where a beautiful lattice work had been draped with flowering vines. Flowers from the local country side had been brought in, and their scent hung lightly on the air, the strongest of which Ed knew to be Winry’s favorite flower: lilies. 

Ed turned to look up the isle way, which was showered with rose petals that stood out in beautiful contrast to the soft green grass. Al and Elysia appeared first, their height difference mildly amusing, and Ed suddenly realized just how much Elysia had grown up since he had first met her. At just thirteen years old, she was absolutely beautiful, her young face already giving a glimpse at the woman she would become. Al was a mirror of his brother, save for the shade of his eyes and hair, which he kept cut short and brushed to the right. 

As Al and Elysia took their places, Mai and Ling came into view, looking more like half siblings than Ed had ever seen them. Their jet black hair was styled in traditional Xingese fashion, both do’s that were traditionally worn during celebrations, as Ling had explained. They were elaborate but subtle so as to indicate their title but not detract from the bride in any way. 

Next, Roy and Riza followed behind, both wearing smiles rather than the usual neutral expressions, a welcome change, Ed thought. Roy’s raven hair had been slicked back, opening up his face and making him look utterly harmless, despite being one of the most deadly Alchemists alive. Riza’s blonde hair had been braided back starting at the crown of her head, its length wound into a low bun, revealing the entirety of her back. Ed knew that it was a big deal for her to wear anything backless, due to the tattoo and vicious burn scars that spanned the length of her pale skin. Riza’s was the only dress that was backless, though Ed was unsure of the reason, and chose not to ask; he knew that Roy had been the one to deface the tattoo upon Riza’s request, and he could only imagine what the site stirred in Roy’s heart. 

A subtle change in the music signaled the crowd to stand up, all turning to face the end of the isle. Ed’s breath caught in his throat when Winry came into view, and tears pricked his eyes. Winry was in a floor length white dress that had a modest slit up to her right knee, revealing an elaborate ankle bracelet that winked in the sun with every step she took. The sleeves of the dress were off the shoulder, more for decoration than function, the dress being held up tighter around her torso and flowing down from her hips in a cascade of pure white silk. Her hair was styled as though she were a queen, but Ed thought she looked like an angel gliding towards him. Pinako and Mrs. Hues walked on either side of her, arms looped through hers, and Ed noted that both of the older women were crying. 

The trio came to a halt a few feet from the altar, and Maj. Armstrong signaled for the guests to take their seats. Ed couldn’t take his eyes away from Winry’s as the overwhelming love he felt for her rose up inside of him, so strong that he thought his heart might burst, unable to contain it. 

“Friends and family,” Maj. Armstrong boomed, pride thick in his voice. “We have come together today to bear witness to the union of Winry Rockbell and Edward Elric. Who gives this woman’s hand this day?” 

“We do,” Pinako and Mrs. Hues said in unison. Each of them hugged and kissed Winry in turn, and Ed stepped forward to take Winry’s hand in his, leading her back up to the altar where they stood facing one another. 

“There is no greater thing in this world than love,” Maj. Armstrong said. “I was blessed to know Ed and Winry since they were young, watch them grow into the amazing adults they are today, and it is with no amount of exaggeration that I say that I have never seen a love more pure and true than the one these two share. Ed and Winry have prepared their vows this day, and will now read them to one another before they are bound.”

Ed turned slightly and reached back towards Al, who was holding a folded piece of paper out to his brother. Once he had it in hand, he turned back to Winry, who had done the same, taking her vows from Elysia. Ed unfolded the paper, though he was certain that he didn’t need it, and began to speak. 

“Winry, when we were kids, I knew that you would always be a part of my life, but never imagined that I would be so lucky as to fall in love with my best friend,” Ed said, keeping his eyes fixed on Winry’s. “Through the most painful and difficult times in my life, you have always been there, unwavering in your love and courage, even when it put your own life on the line for mine. You saved my life, time and time again, and each time you claimed a piece of my heart. From this moment on, until my dying breath, my life and my heart belong to you. I vow to love, cherish and protect you, to stand by your side in good times and bad, I will be there to hold you up when you can’t stand, and stand strong by your side in your victories. I promise to love and protect our children when they come, holding them and you as my greatest treasures. I love you Winry, and will forever.” 

Tears sparkled in Winry’s eyes, and she reached out to take Ed’s hand in hers, giving it a squeeze before speaking her own vows. 

“Edward,” she began, her voice thick with emotion. “I can recall the exact moment when I realized that I was in love with you. It was in that moment that I knew that my heart would never beat for anyone else, no matter what happened down the road, and eighty percent might be good number, but my whole life is better. I vow to always stand strong at your side, protecting you when you cannot fight, and standing strong as your partner in the midst of any battle. I promise to keep a fire in our hearth to warm you on coldest nights, my arms and heart always open to hold you through any storms that come our way in this lifetime. I pledge my heart to you, forsaking all others who would come between us; I swear to always be here until I close my eyes forever.” 

Edward and Winry looked at one another, love in their eyes deeper than any ocean, and Ed laced his fingers through hers, never wanting to let go. Maj. Armstrong’s booming voice broke through the moment, ushering the ceremony forward. 

“Those who bear the rings, please give them to Edward and Winry,” he said, nodding to AL and Elysia, who each produced the rings and handed them to the bride and groom. “Edward, place this ring on Winry’s finger and repeat after me: Winry, I give you this ring, as a symbol of my promise to keep and love you. This ring is a never ending loop, symbolizing my eternal love and devotion.”

Ed gently slid the ring onto Winry’s left hand, saying,” Winry, I give you this ring, as a symbol of my promise to keep and love you. This ring is a never ending loop, symbolizing my eternal love and devotion.”

Winry held onto his hand to mirror his action, slipping the thick band onto his finger to rest above his first knuckle, repeating the words Maj. Armstrong said, her heart beginning to race as the ceremony came to a close. Ed’s heart felt as though it might burst free from his chest as it truly sank in that Winry was about to become his wife. 

“By the power vested in me by the central church of Amestris, I now pronounce you man and wife,” Maj. Armstrong practically shouted, unable to contain his joy. “Edward, you may kiss your bride.”

Time slowed down as Ed gently pulled Winry towards him; he placed one hand on the nape of her neck, and tipped her chin up with the other, meeting her eyes before bringing his mouth to hers. Winry wound her arms around Ed’s neck and sank into the kiss, sighing at the feeling of his lips pressed against her own, and Ed wrapped his own arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him. She tasted wonderful, just like he dreamed she would; in unison, their lips parted just long enough for Ed to sample the sweetness of her mouth. 

The crowd of guests all stood and cheered, their clapping and whooping bringing them both out of the kiss reluctantly. Ed leaned his forehead against Winry’s, a huge grin breaking across his face; Winry was his wife, and he couldn’t imagine he could ever be happier than he was in that moment. 

“Ladies and gentleman, it is my honor to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Elric!”

As if taking some unspoken cue, Ed and Winry both turned to face their friends and family. Ed noticed that Pinako and Mrs. Hues were both crying, a look of pride and joy on their faces. Mrs. Hues wiped the tears from her cheeks with a small cloth handkerchief, then continued to clap along with everyone else as Ed and winry started back up the isle, hand in hand.


	8. Celebration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reception brings more than one new beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay in a chapter update! Work and life tend to get in the way sometimes lol Hope you guys like it, your kudos and comments mean the world :] share it up!!!

The clatter of dishware and gaggle of voices surrounded every table during dinner as everyone visited and ate dinner, laughing and reminiscing. At the head table, Ed and Winry sat in he center of the wedding party, their plates only half cleaned as they shared in the moment, champagne glasses having been refilled twice, and Ed was just beginning to feel its warm affect in his cheeks. He didn’t want to have too much to drink that night, as their was dancing -among other activities- that was to come, and he didn’t want to make a fool of himself. 

A small band played softly to the right of the large dance floor that had been sectioned off with railroad ties, leaving a large square shape in the grass where a few children were playing a game of tag. Ed found himself watching them play, thinking about his and Winry’s future children, absently wondering if they would be as happy, allowed to grow up in a world not torn apart by war. He wanted nothing more than to provide that; he and Al hadn’t escaped such a fate, and he silently prayed to no one in particular that his children wouldn’t have to go through anything close to what they had. 

“Ed!” 

Ed startled at the sound of his name, coming back to the moment at hand, and looked at his wife, who had been the one to address him. She was looking at him with a curious note in her eyes, a flush high on her cheekbones either from the heat or champagne. 

“Where were you?” She asked with a laugh, resting her hand on his knee, a gesture that sent electricity through his body. 

“Nowhere, really,” he said, smiling fondly at her. “Just daydreaming, I guess.”

“About what?” 

“Oh, nothing,” he said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. “Just wondering about children in the future.”

Winry’s blush deepened at Ed’s words, and she gave him a knowing look. The two of them had discussed having children at length, and both decided that they would like to wait at least a year before bringing kids into the world, both wanting time to enjoy being married for a time, as well as meeting their personal goals. Winry wanted to open a second shop in Rush Valley and go into business with Paninya, while Ed wanted to finish his apprenticeship with old man Colver, the carpentry master in town. He had plans to retire and pass the business along to Ed, having no sons of his own to hand the legacy over to. 

“Everyone is wanting to dance soon,” Winry said. “I’m feeling up for it if you are.” 

Ed stood up and offered his hand to Winry by way of reply, and she took it firmly, allowing him to pull her to her feet. They walked together to the patch of grass, and everyone began clapping when they noticed, alerting the playing kids to the situation, and they all darted to the edges of the area with cheers of delight. The band shifted smoothly into a slow dance song as they moved to the center; Ed put one hand on Winry’s waist and held her free hand, and together they began to sway along to the music. Neither spoke a word, not needing to, as they held one another’s gaze, communicating a vast amount of emotion. 

“Who knew the wild Elric could dance!” Ling said to Ed’s left, and he turned to see that he and Lan Fan had joined them. Ed hadn’t even noticed the first song ending, being so lost in Winry’s blue eyes. 

“I am a man of many talents,” Ed said with a laugh, effortlessly twirling Winry in a spin as if to drive home his point. In truth, it was a talent that he hadn’t been aware of until Al’s birthday several months prior. It had been a boisterous affair, with a large bonfire and plenty of food and drink to go around. The entire town turned out to celebrate, and Ed had somehow been tricked into participating in a traditional line dance, the steps of which he picked up quickly. 

“You never cease to amaze!” Ling said. “May I have this dance, my lady Elric?” 

Winry laughed as Ling made a dramatic bow, then offered his hand to her, which she took right away, and Ling pulled her into a quick stepped jig that Ed was sure he was making up as he went. Many people flooded the dance floor, all sharing in the joy of the moment, young and old alike. The music kept up a merry tempo for several songs, and Ed found himself dancing with anyone who could get a hold of him. Lan Fan had been first, moving as gracefully in a floor length dress as she did in her light combat clothes, which didn’t surprise Ed; he had never met another person more aware of and in control of their body than Lan Fan. 

After several upbeat songs, a slower one came back around, and couples broke off to dance together rather than in a massive gaggle. Ed and Winry swayed and were chatting with Al and Mai when Winry suddenly froze, her whole body rigid and her eyes wide. Ed didn’t have to follow her line of site to know that she had seen Scar; he gave her hand a squeeze to make her look at him, which she did almost reluctantly.

“He’s here to see you,” Ed murmured softly, trying his best to mentally pass his calmness to his wife. “If you want him to leave, I’ll tell him and he will.”

“No,” Winry said, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s okay.” 

Winry let go of her husbands hand and moved towards the large Ishvalan man, a curious look on her face. Scar visibly tensed as she drew near, his eyes filled with shame and worry. Ed listened intently, moving to stand close enough to protect Winry, though he knew he wouldn’t have to. Not only was Winry more than capable of handling herself, but somehow Ed trusted that Scar wouldn’t do anything. 

“I heard that you died in the war,” Winry said slowly, not blinking as her cobalt eyes held his red ones. 

“The man I was did,” Scar said, his voice gruff as usual. “Ms. Rockbell, er, Elric,-“

“You can call me Winry,” she said, and Ed knew that everything would be alright between the two. Winry was overly formal with people she didn’t like, but friends and people she respected were allowed to use her first name. 

“Winry,” Scar said, nodding his head slightly in acquiescence. “I was never able to apologize for what I did to you during the war. Not a day has gone by that I am not haunted by the act, and I know it must be hard for you to see me here when your parents cannot be. I do not seek your forgiveness, because I know that I don’t deserve it, but I wish to give my apology nonetheless. I am deeply sorry for what I have done, knowing how terribly I hurt you, and I will never be able to atone for it in this lifetime....”

Winry didn’t answer for a very long moment, tears pooling in her eyes as she continued to stare at Scar. Ed knew that she was hurting immensely, a pain he knew himself, though not on the same level. Winry suddenly stepped up to Scar and pulled him into a hug, an act that took the man so off guard that his jaw dropped open comically. 

“I accept your apology, Scar,” Winry said, stepping back again to look him in the eyes. “I know that guilt must weigh heavy on your mind and heart, but today is a day of new beginnings, and I would have one between the two of us as well. My parents wouldn’t have wanted me to hold onto hate and blame, and I don’t want you to hang on to guilt.” 

Scar looked as though someone had lifted an immense weight from his shoulders and doused him with ice water at the same time. Ed relaxed and released a breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding, making himself dizzy. He watched as Winry tugged at Scar’s arm, drawing him to the dance area, still looking utterly shocked yet happy as he danced with her. 

“She’s a wonderful woman,” Lan Fan said as she appeared soundlessly at Ed’s side, making him jump a little. He supposed that he ought to be used to that by now, her popping up seemingly out of nowhere, but sometimes his thoughts were deep and focused enough that it startled him. 

“She is,” Ed agreed, smiling fondly. 

“Come dance,” Lan Fan said, grabbing Ed’s arm and tugging him towards the dance area. She loosely clasped her hands around his neck and swayed, surveying the surrounding area out of habit, her eyes falling on Ling and Mai, who were dancing as well. She shook her head slightly at herself; even in a place with no danger, her instinct was still to make sure her charge was safe. 

“I have an odd question,” Ed asked, drawing Lan Fan out of her own mind. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes, their gold hue never failing to startle her. “You can sense the chi in and around people... Do you feel anything, I don’t know... Odd, about me?” 

Lan Fan arched an eyebrow at him before saying, “Your arm is bothering you; the chi is slightly off, almost as if it’s not a part of your chi, but rather a fragment that won’t adhere to you.”

“Good to know it’s not obvious,” Ed said with a slightly bitter tone. Lan Fan moved her right hand to his right shoulder, sliding along his chest like a doctor might, and pressed her fingertips to the limb where it connected with the rest of his body. 

Lan Fan forced herself to keep her fingers to his chest as a sickening feeling overcame her at the contact. It was as if she was touching something that was very sick and dying, the chi rolling around as if a snake writhing under the skin. There was something else as well, something that was keeping the sickness at bay out of sheer willpower. Lan Fan looked back up at Ed, who had a very knowing look in his eyes, and she knew that any attempt to sugar coat it would be wasted breath. 

“Something about it is off,” she said. “But it’s nothing to worry about right now, especially not on this night. I promise I’ll take a look at it later, and I would suggest having Mai take a look as well. She may know better how to go about it than I do, being an alchehestress and all.” 

“Sounds like a fair deal,” Ed said, visibly more at ease after having asked. Lan Fan could tell that t had been bothering him for a minute, but chose not to press the issue further. 

 

The party had gone on late into the night, and both Ed and Winry were ready to bow out for alone time, and sleep, should it come to them. Ed could tell that Winry was antsy given the sly looks and ‘accidental’ brushing against him with her backside. The last time she had done it, Ed had grabbed her waist and held her into him, leaning down to kiss her temple as he pressed his hips forward into her. 

“Not clever,” he whispered. Winry turned her head and kissed him, nipping his lip in a bold display of affection that she didn’t much care if anyone saw. 

“Well, if you could take a hint, I wouldn’t have to be so not clever,” Winry said, smirking at up her husband. 

“Unbelievable,” Ed said, chuckling before he kissed Winry’s temple again and went to find Pinako to tell her that they were ready for their exit. Pinako gave Ed a knowing look but said nothing as she went around to gather everyone to do the send off, which Ed found rather pointless considering the fact that they weren’t leaving for a honeymoon, but rather going back to the house for the remainder of the evening. They had planned to take their honeymoon after Ling and Lan Fan went back to Xing; Mai had plans to stay a while longer to help Al study for his State Alchemist exams. 

Everyone at the party made two lines, each person holding a handful of bird seed to toss in the air as Ed and Winry walked up the isle that was created by the party goers. 

“Ooo, heading to the marriage bed,” Ling teased, elbowing Ed in the ribs. Ed swatted the side of Ling’s head by way of reply, and the two friends laughed as they hugged. “All joking aside, I am very happy for you two. I can’t think of any two people better suited for one another.” 

“Thank you, Ling,” Ed said. 

“Now you be gentle with the lady!” Ling said loudly, ducking to avoid Ed’s swing and darting to the side when Winry also threw a lighthearted punch. 

“Settle yourself down, Ling,” Pinako warned as she ushered Ed and Winry together. Ed grasped Winry’s hand and smiled at her; he was beginning to get a nervous flutter in his stomach at the thought of what was surely about to follow. 

Ed and Winry had never known another lover, and would be each other’s one and only. Ed was excited to be able to explore it all with Winry, but also found that he was nervous at the prospect of seeing Winry completely naked, touching and kissing her all over her body. He had never seen a naked woman before, and therefore had no real idea of what to expect.

“Ed, come on,” Winry said, pulling Ed down the isle with her, both of them shielding their eyes from the rain of bird seed that was showering onto them amidst the cheers of their friends and loved ones. Ed forced himself not to look back at them, knowing what everyone there was likely thinking and not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. It wasn’t about anyone but he and Winry now, though he was sure Ling would tease him about it at least a little bit. Ed forced that thought aside as he bent down to move Winry’s dress train out of the way, and then closed the door.


End file.
